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UDF Rift Widens Over Satheesan's Centralised Decision Making

The CMO's control over key decisions, highlighted by a revoked GNA Energy power purchase, signals erosion of cabinet collective responsibility.

Overview

  • Adoor Prakash on Tuesday publicly questioned delays in convening the UDF coordination committee and said scheduling is the prerogative of UDF chair V. D. Satheesan.
  • CPI(M) state secretary M. V. Govindan accused the Chief Minister of concentrating authority in a 'shadowy coterie' at the Chief Minister's Office and said that several ministers felt blindsided by major decisions.
  • The disputed power purchase from GNA Energy was withdrawn after the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission said there was no power crisis in the state.
  • Opposition and some UDF figures say the GNA deal risked large fiscal loss, with CPI(M) citing an estimated impact of about ₹777 crore, while ministers such as Sunny Joseph and M. Liju have said they learned actions through the media.
  • Chief Minister Satheesan denied sidelining ministers and said Cabinet decisions are collective, and the unfolding dispute leaves appointments, governance transparency, and coalition unity as the key things to watch next.