Kerala politics was heated up as Opposition Leader VD Satheesan made a blistering threat to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, stating, “This time, you will have to resign.” The utterance was during a huge state-wide protest organized by the Congress party, seeking the resignation of the CM in response to a string of suspected administrative lapses and corruption charges. The protest witnessed mass attendance across districts, indicating an emerging public and political outcry.
Satheesan’s cutting words indicate a renewed belligerence from the Congress camp, which has been continuously escalating its attacks on the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government. Speaking to a packed audience, he blamed CM Vijayan for covering up scandal-tainted ministers and bureaucrats, and neglecting democratic values and transparency. “The people of Kerala are no longer willing to endure this arrogance and abuse of power,” he continued.
The protest move was in reaction to the recent controversies that have pushed the LDF government on the back foot. Ranging from suspected irregularities in development projects to doubts about law and order, the CM has been under increasing pressure both from opposition leaders and civil society. Congress leaders intimated that this was only the start of a larger campaign to “restore governance in Kerala.”
The Chief Minister’s office has thus far remained silent, but political analysts believe the movement of the opposition could have far-reaching consequences for the political balance in Kerala. With elections looming, the demand for resignation has rekindled the debate about governance and accountability in the state.
