UDF workers carry Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan on stage during a reception organized by Puthuyuga Yatra at Chelakkara in Thrissur district on Wednesday. | Photo credit: KK NAJEEB
Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan on Wednesday hit out at Excise Minister MB Rajesh, who alleged that neither the state government nor the minister had consulted with the opposition on the decision to extend the opening hours of bars across the state.
Addressing the media during the Puthuyuga Yatra in Thrissur on Wednesday, he said the opposition had no role in the decision to unify or extend the timing of the bars. While there had been earlier attempts by bar owners for uniform timing, he clarified that their approaches to support were made almost a year ago and not in the context of the current decision. “It’s up to the government to consult the opposition if they want our opinion, not the bar owners,” he said.
He claimed that the opposition was kept completely in the dark about the move. “If even the convenor or leaders of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) did not know about the decision, how would the opposition know about it?” he asked, adding that taking such a decision just before an election without taking it to the government or holding wider consultations raised serious suspicions.
The Leader of the Opposition further said that the Excise Minister has never discussed the matter with any Leaders of the Opposition either on the phone or on the floor of the Assembly in recent times. He described the minister’s remarks as an attempt to escape criticism after coming under the scanner and dismissed the alleged warnings against further disclosure.
Referring to the Elappulla brewery issue, he claimed that approvals were granted at “rocket speed”, only for the Kerala High Court to stop the move later. He alleged that a company allegedly blacklisted in Delhi had filed the application in Kerala without even the knowledge of the local brewing companies and that the opposition’s allegations of procedural errors were subsequently upheld by the court.
Blanket extension
He questioned the reasons behind the widespread expansion of bar timings, saying that the relaxation limited to tourist centers with active nightlife was understandable, but the government instead extended the timings everywhere while increasing the number of notified tourist destinations, which had already drawn criticism.
Meanwhile, Mr. Rajesh defended the government’s decision, saying extended bar timings were already in place in some tourist destinations and that they were uniform across the state to address complaints of discrimination.
Published – 18 Feb 2026 21:04 IST