Kerala CM defends controversial helicopter trip, lunch amid floods, says ‘politicising meal is unfortunate’

Published 3 August 2026 · local

Responding to the controversy over his helicopter trip to Kochi and a lunch at the residence of a Muslim Youth League leader in Ponnani even

Responding to the controversy over his helicopter trip to Kochi and a lunch at the residence of a Muslim Youth League leader in Ponnani even as the State faced floods, Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan on Monday (August 3, 2026) said it was “unfortunate and heinous to politicise a meal” he had during the crisis. Addressing a press conference, Mr. Satheesan said he had been monitoring the flood situation “since 5 a.m.” and had reviewed developments with the Revenue Minister, Chief Secretary and District Collectors. “It was unfortunate that the lunch I had around 3 p.m. was being used for political and media propaganda,” said Ms. Satheesan. In a sarcastic remark, he said he was “unaware that the previous Chief Minister” had observed a fast during the 2018 floods.

“I have only now realised that a Chief Minister should not eat food in such situations,” he remarked. Slams Pinarayi The updates on the flood situation were being shared with the media every three hours from the Chief Minister’s Office, while the Revenue Minister had also conducted two media briefings, he said. He also accused former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of holding press conferences during disasters to make political allegations. The Chief Minister also referred to a complaint raised by a woman at a relief camp in Aranmula regarding inadequate facilities. He alleged that the complaint had been made at the insistence of a local political party secretary and said the woman herself later clarified the circumstances.

Defending his helicopter trip to Kochi, Mr. Satheesan said it was “not for a personal purpose” but to meet an investment delegation that had arrived after meeting the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and was scheduled to return to Delhi on Sunday. Although he had initially planned to travel by Vande Bharat Express, the schedule was changed because of the urgency of the meeting. He also said the government did not incur any additional expenditure on the helicopter trip. The helicopter had been contracted for a monthly rent of ₹80 lakh, which included 25 flying hours. The government would have to pay the same amount irrespective of whether those hours were used, and the helicopter had been used only sparingly by the present government, he said.

Satheesan also urged critics to examine the travel records of Mr. Vijayan as former Chief Minister, alleging that helicopters had been used by Mr. Vijayan to attend party meeting, and the rent was paid for from the Disaster Management Fund. He declined to reveal details of the investment delegation, saying the project would be announced only after a final decision was taken.