Row over Kerala CM’s helicopter trip refuses to die down as Satheesan appears to contradict earlier statement

Published 5 August 2026 · local

In an apparent contradiction of his earlier statement on his controversial July 31 helicopter trip, Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan on Wednesday (August 5, 2026)

In an apparent contradiction of his earlier statement on his controversial July 31 helicopter trip, Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan on Wednesday (August 5, 2026) said he had met an investor in Ernakulam as he was in the district that day. After the controversy broke out, Mr. Satheesan had on Monday said the helicopter trip 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 had said.

When asked about the discrepancy between his latest explanation and the one he gave on Monday, Mr. Satheesan declined to respond. He also refused to disclose the identity of the investor. Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary M.V. Govindan had on Tuesday alleged that the Chief Minister was trying to “mask facts through repeated lies” in his press conferences. Earlier reports on the Chief Minister’s helicopter trip, which was initially prevented from landing due to inclement weather, suggested that he was visiting his father-in-law, who was undergoing treatment. CPI(M) Central committee member and former Industries Minister P. Rajeeve said that it was “suspicious” that the Chief Minister flew alone to meet an investor, without taking the Industries Minister, department officials or the Chief Secretary, “although there was enough space in the helicopter.” He said Chief Ministers and Ministers usually have a programme list with details of their official trips, but the lack of details of even the place of the meeting with the investor “raises questions.” CM responds to MLA’s charges Responding to the allegations of CPI(M) MLA K.U. Jenish Kumar of Konni constituency that the Chief Minister did not visit flood-ravaged areas in the former’s constituency or invite him to a flood-related meeting in Pathanamthitta district, Mr. Satheesan said he had visited “only places which were seriously affected.” “No MLAs were invited for the meeting, although some MLAs participated.

The District Collector, the Minister in charge of the district and officials were part of the meeting,” he said. Jenish Kumar had alleged that he was kept away from the meeting due to “concerns that he might point out the government machinery’s failures”