Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, prone to outbursts at journalists and other people who get too close to him, has launched a Citizen Connect Centre, “CM With Me”.
People can connect with the chief minister on a toll-free number, 1800-4256-789, that will be manned by officials round the clock.
The public outreach comes ahead of the local body and Assembly polls, expected in December and April-May, respectively.
While his predecessor Oommen Chandy would always be seen surrounded by a sea of people, Vijayan has always stayed aloof.
While Chandy’s UDF government met the media once a week after the cabinet meeting, Vijayan maintained he would address the media if and when necessary. He has largely been inaccessible to the media.
Vijayan now wants to bridge the communication gap with the people with the Citizen Connect Centre (CCC) programme.
The first call Vijayan received on Monday was from actor Tovino Thomas, who congratulated him on the initiative.
“In a democracy, the utmost responsibility of the government is towards the people…. ‘CM With Me’ means the LDF government is with the people,” Vijayan said after launching the programme.
Earlier this month, the state cabinet had approved ₹20 crore for the project.
The CCC will ensure that a caller is informed within 48 hours about the outcome of the issue he or she has raised.
During the fag end of 2023, Vijayan and his cabinet colleagues had visited all the 140 Assembly constituencies in the state during a 36-day outreach programme, the Nava Kerala Sadas. It was meant to advertise the progress Kerala had made under the Left government.
The initiative, however, garnered negative publicity after the authorities suppressed a protest by Youth Congress activists.
CPM confident
CPM state secretary M.V. Govindan on Wednesday exuded confidence that the Left Democratic Front will form the government for the third consecutive term in 2026.
The Left veteran said even people who had politically opposed the CPM and the LDF earlier were now getting ready to support the LDF.
Govindan said the state was currently in “an exciting political juncture” in which community outfits and thousands of people who had politically opposed the Left were now getting ready to support it to realise the third term of the LDF government.