"Will use existing car, avoid luxury; Keralam treasury cannot afford extravagance": VD Satheesan

Thiruvananthapuram (Keralam) [India], May 15 : Keralam Chief Minister-designate VD Satheesan on Friday said that the government should avoid unnecessary luxury and follow simple practices, especially at a time of financial strain.
He said he will continue using his existing official car instead of opting for a new one, adding that public money should be used carefully and responsibly.
Speaking to the reporters, Satheesan said, "If a decision is made to buy a new car, it would send the wrong message to the administration. At a time when the financial situation is worsening, we must reduce luxuries as much as possible and create certain models. I will use the existing car."
He also directed the police to avoid causing inconvenience to the public during his travel and to keep vehicle escorts to a minimum, stressing that leaders should set an example through simple living.
"I have instructed the police not to trouble people as much as possible on the way. I have also said that only fewer than a countable number of vehicles should be allowed. If we show extravagance, those below will also do the same. Keralam's treasury does not have the capacity for that," he further said.
Satheesan also met Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala at his residence.

Congress officially named Satheesan as the next Chief Minister of Keralam following the UDF's sweeping victory in the 2026 Assembly elections.
Satheesan is scheduled to take oath as Chief Minister on May 18 at 10 am at Lok Bhavan.
The Congress-led UDF secured a decisive mandate in the 140-member Keralam Assembly, winning 102 seats and ending the Left Democratic Front (LDF)'s decade-long rule in the state.
He had served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Keralam Legislative Assembly since 2021 and emerged as one of the prominent faces of the UDF campaign against the outgoing Left government.