Subscribe
Even for a preliminary assessment of an incumbent government, the first 100 days is a brief span in the run of a government. Yet, the initial policy directions, ministerial initiatives, and leadership style of Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan offers clear signals of what this United Democratic Front (UDF) administration intends to deliver.
A contested ascent to power
Sworn in on May 18 after typical inner-party squabbling, Satheesan secured the top post primarily on the strength of a decisive United Democratic Front (UDF) victory. While his rivals possessed administrative experience and high-command favour in New Delhi, Satheesan commanded the vital element: strong public support.
Controversy emerged before he even took the oath. Reports surfaced regarding his post-election visit to the Mookambika temple aboard a chartered flight, meeting with an Adani Group official and NDA leaders. Likely leaked by internal rivals, the story signaled that factional friction would persist. Group dynamics were equally evident in Cabinet formation: Ramesh Chennithala was allocated the crucial Home and Vigilance portfolio to balance internal party dynamics. VD Satheesan retained Finance, Ports, and Law. While portfolio distribution remains a Chief Minister’s prerogative, the Opposition CPM swiftly alleged administrative malfeasance over this concentration of key departments.
Developmental vision vs. fiscal realities
Satheesan introduced Mission Samudra, a vision framing coastal and inland shipping, waterway development, and the blue economy as drivers of regional growth. Acknowledging demographic shifts, the administration also highlighted the potential of a “silver economy”. While these serve as long-term structural targets, immediate priorities remain tied to managing existing liabilities and funding newly announced welfare measures.
During the run-up to elections, the UDF promised five Indira Guarantees. Immediate implementation steps included:
Priyadarshini scheme: Free travel for women on designated state transport buses.
Senior Citizens’ Department: A dedicated administrative department for the welfare of senior citizens.
The remaining guarantees face delays due to the state's precarious financial position and reliance on heavy borrowing. Meanwhile, initial gestures like modest incentive hikes for ASHA and Anganwadi workers signaled an effort to demonstrate welfare commitment within current budget constraints.
Restoring democratic norms
A notable shift in governance style was the reinstatement of regular, open Cabinet press briefings—a practice largely replaced by written press releases during the previous administration. In these briefings, Satheesan has engaged directly with journalists, maintaining control over the political narrative during the Assembly’s initial sessions.
Satheesan had complete control over the narrative during the first Assembly session. In the policy address delivered by the Governor, the proposed vision for development was laid out. In the same Assembly session, as the Finance Minister, Satheesan presented and detailed the government’s financial status in a non-technical manner.
The white paper on state fiscal status clearly pointed out the pitfalls of the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) development model. There was some expectation of the revised budget presentation, but it was more or less a rearrangement of allocations.
A tax proposal on low-alcohol beverages generated temporary friction. Criticized by former KPCC president VM Sudheeran as a departure from UDF policy, the issue highlighted communication gaps between the Chief Minister, UDF leadership, and the Excise Department. The CM barely managed to control the narrative, reminding about a note issued by MV Govindan regarding low-alcohol beverages when he was in charge of the excise ministry.
Political challenges and Opposition pressure
The Opposition CPI(M) centered much of its strategy on accusing the government of accommodating the Sangh Parivar, citing the singing of the Vande Mataram in full at the swearing-in ceremony. Larger friction points soon followed:
PM SHRI agreement: Despite earlier opposition claims that the agreement signed by the LDF would be discarded, the current administration deferred to a Cabinet sub-committee, citing government continuity. This hesitation drew criticism from key coalition supporters. Uncertainty still looms as the cabinet sub-committee is yet to take a final decision on this. The controversy regarding the signing of the PM Shri agreement had been severely damaging for the LDF government, as it was openly opposed by the key constituent of the UDF, CPI. The Central Committee of the CPI(M) has also highlighted this as one of the reasons for the electoral defeat.
Vizhinjam Port stake sale: Reports regarding Adani Ports selling a stake to MSC Shipping without prior state approval led to Opposition charges that the CM had prior knowledge about the deal. Satheesan refuted this by pointing out that the media houses like the Deshabhimani had reported the transaction before the state was officially notified. Most of the Opposition charges against the new government, including the controversial issue of social media posts of news outlets criticising Satheesan being taken off Meta, have not survived even a fortnight.
Governance, ministerial performance, and crisis response
In the first 100 days, the Opposition mainly targeted the CM, and all the raging controversies were mostly Satheesan-centric, like the use of helicopters for personal purposes. Beyond the Chief Minister's central role, administrative performance across portfolios remains uneven:
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala’s anti-narcotics initiative, Operation Toofan, generated broad public support, though long-term efficacy remains to be measured.
General Cabinet performance: Several portfolios reflect average to below-average momentum, with delays in administrative appointments pointing to ongoing internal friction.
The government faced its first major test during the recent floods. Administrative and disaster coordination gaps were evident, though emergency efforts ultimately stabilized the situation.
The delay in the appointments of even private secretaries to ministers owing to personal clashes may only expose the fractures in the collectiveness of the political administration. It would be wrong to assume that one man can single-handedly run the government. It was VD Satheesan who floated the idea of team UDF, and now it seems to be on a shaky wicket.
Performance scorecard
Evaluating the administration across five key operational metrics:
Commitment to constitutional democracy: 8/10
Welfare initiatives: 7/10
Development strategy: 6/10
Financial prudence: 5/10
Administration & governance: 4/10
Overall score: 6/10
While narrative management and democratic openness have improved, long-term credibility will ultimately depend on administrative cohesion, fiscal management, and consistent policy execution across all ministries.
Damodar Prasad is an independent media researcher and bilingual writer.
Views expressed are the author’s own.
