No rift between KSU, Kerala CM over appointment of government pleader: Ramesh Chennithala

Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala | Photo credit: RK Nithin

Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Saturday (July 18, 2026) dismissed reports of differences between Chief Minister VD Satheesan and the Kerala Students Union (KSU) over the appointment of a government representative who was earlier associated with the Students Federation of India (SFI), saying any grievances within the party would be resolved through discussion.

The controversy erupted after Satheesan said on Wednesday that government pleaders were appointed on the basis of merit and recommendation and that the government would not function under pressure from political or student organisations.

The student wing of the KSU Congress protested the appointment of a former SFI leader as the government pleader.

KSU state president Aloshious Xavier said on Friday that if the UDF government considers his opposition to the appointment of a former SFI activist as government pleader a “mistake”, he would repeat it.

Responding to questions from reporters, Mr. Chennithala said there was no such dispute in the Congress.

“If you compare it to the CPI(M)-CPI disputes, what is the dispute in the Congress? If there are any problems, we will sit together and sort them out,” he said.

Mr. Chennithala claimed that there were maximum number of disputes within the opposition LDF and said that its voters were unable to solve their own problems.

“They are in a state where they can’t even resolve the issues within the LDF. They can’t even hold a front meeting. There are no such issues in the Congress. If KSU workers have any grievances, those grievances will definitely be looked into and resolved. I believe the Chief Minister himself will take the initiative,” he said.

Denying that the Chief Minister was unwilling to meet the aggrieved Kerala Students Union (KSU) leaders, Mr. Chennithala said hundreds of people meet Mr. Satheesan and other ministers every day.

“If KSU leaders have an opinion, there is nothing wrong with it. They have expressed their opinions in the past. But there are certain procedures. If they meet the chief minister and present their concerns to him, he will definitely consider them. He will not ignore them. Not only he, but all of us will consider them,” he said.

About Operation Toofan

As part of the government’s anti-drug campaign ‘Operation Toofan’, Mr Chennithala said the initiative had become a mass movement with strong public support.

“Earlier, the public was afraid of the drug mafia. Today, the drug mafia is afraid of the public because people have united against them. That is why Operation Toofan has become a resounding success,” he said.

He said the campaign will continue till the drug mafia is eradicated from Kerala and warned those involved in narcotics trade to stop such activities.

The interior minister also warned health shops against dispensing prescription drugs without valid prescriptions, saying the government had found cases of drugs meant for serious illnesses being misused as injectable narcotics.

“No medical shop is allowed to distribute any medicine without a doctor’s prescription. This is a direct warning. We are also discussing the matter with the health minister. Those who violate the rules will face strict legal action,” he said.

On reports that former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s security cover was likely to be reduced, Mr. Chennithala said such decisions were taken solely by the Security Review Committee headed by the Home Minister, not the Home Minister.

“The committee regularly reviews the threat perception based on intelligence and Special Branch reports and decides whether security should be increased, maintained or reduced. As Home Secretary, I do not interfere in that process. I have never interfered in the past and I do not interfere now,” he said.

The committee, which usually meets once every six months, is expected to meet soon and take an appropriate decision based on the assessment of the threat, he said.

Published – 18 Jul 2026 13:48 IST