- VD Satheesan will limit his convoy to the minimum possible vehicles as Chief Minister of Kerala
- He requested police to provide minimal security without troubling people on the road
- Satheesan will use an existing official car and avoid buying a new one to reduce extravagance
One of the first decisions taken by Kerala Chief Minister-designate VD Satheesan after being picked for the post was to limit his convoy to the minimum possible vehicles, in contrast to his predecessor's large motorcade that had drawn criticism from various quarters.
Speaking to reporters after a joint meeting with various religious leaders, Satheesan said that his intention was not to make fun of his predecessors but that the "treasury would not be able to bear the burden of such extravagance".
"Those before me may have needed it, I do not," he also asserted.
He said that since he, as chief minister, will have Z plus category security status, he has asked the police to be careful.
"So, I have asked the police to provide the minimum possible security convoy. As few vehicles as possible. The very minimum. I have also asked them not to trouble people on the road when I am travelling," Satheesan said.
He said that if he travels in a grand manner, then those on the road may not say anything publicly, but they will make fun of him privately.
"Furthermore, if we show extravagance, those below us will also and the treasury of the state will not be able to bear that burden," he added.
Satheesan also said that he will not be buying a new official car and will use whatever vehicle is available, irrespective of its colour.
"If I buy a new car, no problem will be caused to the exchequer. But, it will send the wrong message to the administrative system. Also when the financial position is so bad as it is currently, we should set an example by reducing extravagance as much as possible," he said.
Earlier in the day, party sources said that Satheesan has directed that only a pilot and escort vehicle should accompany his official car and people on the road should not be blocked while he travels.
His decision is a major shift from the VIP culture of ministers as well as the huge motorcade of more than 10 vehicles that was seen when Pinarayi Vijayan used to travel.
Even former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy also did not have a huge motorcade like that of Vijayan.
After his joint meeting with various religious leaders, Satheesan said that religious unity was a special feature of Kerala.
"These religious leaders have always stood together in the face of any conflict and given a message of communal harmony and against divisive campaigns.
"I am thankful to them for coming here and giving me their blessings. Their dreams are definitely a secular Kerala without any divisive campaigns. To create such a secular Kerala, I humbly seek their support," he said.
Satheesan also said that there will be no change in the promise by the religious leaders that all communal and divisive campaigns will be strongly opposed.
He further said that he believes he got the Chief Minister post thanks to all their prayers and that is why he termed it a "divine assignment" when he first met the media after the AICC announced his name as the chief minister-designate.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
