Veteran Congress leader V.M. Sudheeran has once again put the V.D. Satheesan-led Kerala government on the defensive, publicly opposing the proposed tax structure for low-alcohol beverages in the State Budget and demanding that the provision be struck out when the Finance Bill is tabled in the Assembly. The intervention, made on Thursday, 26 June, marks a fresh flashpoint between one of the Congress's most prominent conscience-keepers and the United Democratic Front (UDF) dispensation he nominally supports.

What Sudheeran Said

Speaking to reporters, Sudheeran argued that a policy decision of this nature should have gone through internal consultations within the Congress and the UDF before being incorporated into the Budget. He contended that proper deliberation could have pre-empted the current controversy entirely.

He also disclosed that he had already conveyed his reservations directly to the Chief Minister and the Excise Minister, but said public doubts around the proposal remained unaddressed. 'The government should not take decisions that affect its credibility. Matters should be handled transparently and explained clearly to the public without creating unnecessary controversies,' he said.

A Career Built on Two Causes

A former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, Lok Sabha member, Speaker, and Minister, Sudheeran has spent decades building his political identity around two defining issues: opposition to liquor proliferation and resistance to mineral sand mining. Both resurfaced sharply this week as he simultaneously questioned the government's mining policy and demanded an unequivocal declaration that mining activities would not be permitted in the state.

He also reminded the UDF leadership that it was duty-bound to honour positions championed by Satheesan himself when he was Opposition Leader criticising the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government — a pointed reminder that the ruling alliance's own pre-election rhetoric is now being held against it.

The Liquor Policy Flashback

The political resonance of Sudheeran's intervention is sharpened by historical context. During the Oommen Chandy-led UDF government between 2011 and 2016, he was a central figure in a bruising internal battle over liquor policy that ultimately resulted in the closure of hundreds of bars across Kerala. By the time the UDF demitted office in 2016, fewer than three dozen bars were operational in the state.

That number climbed dramatically under the two successive LDF governments led by Pinarayi Vijayan, rising to nearly 900 bars. Sudheeran repeatedly wrote to Vijayan flagging his concerns, but his appeals drew little response. Now, with a Congress-led government back in power, he has returned to the same terrain — this time directing his fire inward.

The Challenge for the Satheesan Government

For the Satheesan government, the immediate challenge is a familiar one: managing public dissent from a senior leader whose credibility on liquor and mining issues is well established across party lines. The timing is particularly awkward, arriving ahead of the Finance Bill debate when the government needs its legislative house in order.

Notably, Sudheeran has historically been most vocal on liquor policy precisely when the Congress holds power — a pattern that underlines the structural tension between electoral pragmatism and the party's stated social commitments. Whether the government accommodates his demand or holds its ground on the tax provision will signal how the UDF intends to manage internal accountability going forward.