Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan on Saturday, 7 November 2026 escalated the ongoing dispute over the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) power purchase deal, challenging Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan to produce documentary evidence supporting his claim that Himachal Pradesh had offered electricity at ₹12.50 per unit. The public spat entered its second consecutive day with neither side showing signs of backing down.

The Core Allegation and Satheesan's Rebuttal

Vijayan had questioned why Kerala did not purchase power from Himachal Pradesh, asserting the KSEB had itself found it a viable option. Satheesan countered that Vijayan was repeating the same allegations despite a detailed explanation provided on Friday, without furnishing any supporting documents. The Chief Minister also pointed out that Rajasthan had decided to procure electricity from Himachal Pradesh only on 18 October, with related proposals placed before the Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission on 28 October — and that the KSEB recommendation file reached him for a final decision only on 30 October, leaving no window for Kerala to have acted sooner even if it had wanted to.

The 'Artificial Crisis' Contradiction

Satheesan pointed to what he called a glaring internal contradiction in Vijayan's position: the former Chief Minister had simultaneously alleged that the power crisis in Kerala was artificially created and questioned why the state did not buy cheaper power from Himachal Pradesh. The Chief Minister argued that both stances could not be held at once — if the shortage were artificial, there would be no need to source emergency power; if it were real, the government's procurement decisions deserved a fair assessment. Satheesan reiterated that it was the KSEB itself that had informed the government about the power shortage, and that official records had already been cited to establish this.

Green Energy Open Access Platform Row

On criticism surrounding the use of the Green Energy Open Access (GNA) platform for power purchases, Satheesan said a note submitted by the former KSEB chairman to the government had itself suggested considering the GNA route. He asked whether Vijayan was unaware of this note or was deliberately ignoring it. Notably, Satheesan welcomed Vijayan's admission that the GNA platform had been used during the previous government's own tenure — framing it as an implicit endorsement of the current administration's approach.

Document Battle and Political Barbs

Responding to Vijayan's repeated demand for documents, Satheesan said all relevant records from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)]-affiliated organisation within the KSEB had already been handed over to the Opposition leader. He added that any additional documents could be obtained through established procedures. Taking a pointed swipe at his predecessor, Satheesan asked whether Vijayan had ever provided documents sought by the then-Opposition during his own tenure as Chief Minister. Satheesan asserted that his government scrutinised files thoroughly before signing any decision, in contrast to what he implied was a less rigorous approach under the previous administration.

What Comes Next

The row over the KSEB power purchase deal shows no signs of resolution, with both sides digging into their respective positions ahead of what is likely to be a prolonged political battle. Observers in Thiruvananthapuram note that the dispute touches on broader questions of energy governance, procurement transparency, and regulatory oversight — issues that will continue to reverberate in Kerala's political arena in the weeks ahead.