‘Criticism won’t make me lose my temper’: Chief Minister VD Satheesan says he is open to feedback from party leaders

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan said he was willing to listen to criticism, accept it and correct his mistakes, adding that he had never been one to react angrily when criticised. “Anyone in the party can criticise me. If I make a mistake, I will correct it. If I believe I have done nothing wrong, I will explain my position to those criticising me,” he said.

Satheesan said all policy matters were discussed with the party, while the government’s day-to-day affairs were not routinely taken up for discussion. “As Chief Minister, I am accountable to the party. All policy decisions are discussed with the party. The Cabinet includes the KPCC president, former KPCC presidents, a Congress Working Committee member, two working presidents and the Youth Congress president,” he said.

Satheesan declined to respond to Adoor Prakash’s allegation that government matters were not being discussed. Asked whether the Congress high command had sought an explanation from him over Prakash’s complaint, he said nobody had asked him for one. When asked again, he questioned whether seeking an explanation was the high command’s job.

“It takes two hands clapping to make a noise,” he said, adding that any complaint about a lack of consultation on particular matters would be addressed.

‘Kerala needs a representative in Delhi’

Satheesan said the Administrative Reforms Commission and Kerala’s representative in Delhi were both necessary. He said the transition from the Planning Commission to NITI Aayog had brought a greater focus on schemes and planning initiatives. The previous government had failed to apply for even 25% of central schemes, he claimed.

G. Devarajan, who had good connections in Delhi, had been appointed as the state’s representative, he said. Many government schemes were linked to the Administrative Reforms Commission, Satheesan said, adding that the government aimed to implement its recommendations while curbing extravagance and reducing wasteful expenditure.