Poetic Justice in Kerala Politics: CM V.D. Satheesan to Present Maiden Budget Tomorrow

Thiruvananthapuram: In a historic moment filled with political irony and poetic justice, Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan will present his maiden state budget tomorrow. Having retained the crucial Finance portfolio, the Chief Minister’s budget presentation marks the fulfillment of a long-standing expectation of the people of Kerala.
​Way back in 2011, when the United Democratic Front (UDF) swept into power, the state had widely expected Satheesan to be appointed as the Finance Minister. Between 2006 and 2011, it was Satheesan’s relentless crusades against the then LDF government’s lottery scams and corruption that set the stage for the UDF’s electoral victory. His uncompromising stand against the lottery mafia made him a household name. However, when the cabinet was formed in 2011, political maneuverings denied him a ministerial berth.
​The tables turned in 2021. Following Pinarayi Vijayan’s historic second term, the Congress party appointed V.D. Satheesan as the Leader of the Opposition. This structural move completely revitalized the state’s Congress apparatus. Under his aggressive and strategic leadership, the opposition built immense momentum, culminating in a landslide victory in the legislative elections, where the UDF captured 102 seats.
​V.D. Satheesan took oath as the popular choice for the Chief Minister’s post and strategically assumed control of the Finance Ministry.
​Tomorrow, as he unrolls the budget documents, it will mark the end of a 15-year wait. The leader who was expected to present a budget as a minister in 2011 will finally do so—not just as the custodian of the state’s treasury, but as the Chief Minister of Kerala.