Chief Minister busy on second day; focus on Finance and Department allocations

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: On his second day as Chief Minister, V.D. Satheesan spent most of his morning immersed in discussions regarding the state’s finances. The Chief Minister currently holds the portfolios for Finance, Ports, and Law.

Although he had planned to leave home at 8 am, he was able to leave only at 8:30 am due to the heavy rush of visitors. The first official to meet him at the office was K R Jyothilal. The first discussion was held with senior officials of the Finance Department regarding the preparation of a white paper. A decision was also taken to appoint a special committee headed by former Cabinet Secretary Dr K M Chandrasekhar. Meanwhile, Minister P K Kunhalikutty arrived to help resolve disputes related to ministerial portfolios. The Chief Minister then became extremely busy as officials carrying various files and several private visitors continued to arrive one after another. Later, he also held discussions with officials of KIIFB. He finally left for Cantonment House at around 1:30 pm.

Even at his residence, a long queue of visitors awaited him. After greeting them, he had lunch with his wife, Lakshmi Priya. Skipping his usual rest, he returned to the office by 3:30 PM for more meetings related to the Finance Department. Discussions regarding department changes for ministers continued over the phone and in person until 8:00 PM.

CM Satheesan explains the viral 'smile'
Chief Minister V D Satheesan reacted to the viral spread of a facial expression he made during a recent press conference. The moment occurred when a young man asked about permission for vehicle modifications.

"I smiled out of affection for the boy. Seeing his face and appearance, I felt a sense of warmth. It was a reassuring smile to tell him, 'Don't worry, we will look into it, stay confident.' It’s a natural wish of the youth. I just reacted the way I would to my own children," the CM explained with a laugh.

Social media is currently flooded with reels featuring the CM's expression, popularly dubbed the "Pookie Chief Minister."