Thiruvananthapuram, June 24: Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan will move into the official Chief Minister’s residence, Cliff House, on Thursday morning. He has been staying at Cantonment House, the official residence of the Leader of the Opposition, since taking office last month.
The Chief Minister will move to Cliff House along with his wife Lakshmipriya and daughter Unnimaya. The family is expected to shift to the residence at around 6 a.m.
One-Month Stay at Opposition Leader’s Residence
Since becoming Chief Minister on May 18, VD Satheesan has been operating from Cantonment House. During the past month, officials, party leaders and members of the public visited him there for meetings and official discussions. The arrangement continued because Cliff House was undergoing necessary maintenance work before the Chief Minister could move in.
Pinarayi Vijayan Yet to Shift to Cantonment House
Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan has not yet moved into Cantonment House. As a result, he continues to stay in a rented house near Bakery Junction in Thiruvananthapuram. Recently, Pinarayi Vijayan expressed disappointment over the delay in getting possession of the official residence meant for the Leader of the Opposition. He pointed out that he had vacated Cliff House soon after the election results and expected a quicker handover of Cantonment House.
Security and Administrative Concerns
The large number of visitors arriving at Cantonment House to meet the Chief Minister also raised concerns among security officials. Police reportedly highlighted the challenges of managing security arrangements at the residence while handling the increasing flow of visitors. Therefore, the move to Cliff House is expected to improve both security and administrative convenience.
Maintenance Work Completed
Sources said the government carried out only essential repair work at Cliff House before the Chief Minister’s move. Earlier, VD Satheesan had reportedly instructed officials not to spend large amounts on renovation and modernisation. However, authorities completed urgent maintenance work required for the residence to become functional.
Historic Cantonment House
Cantonment House is one of Thiruvananthapuram’s historic government residences. The colonial-era building is more than 200 years old and was constructed in 1819 for a British military officer. The heritage structure has only three bedrooms and requires periodic maintenance because of its age.
With VD Satheesan shifting to Cliff House, the process is now expected to begin for Pinarayi Vijayan to move into Cantonment House after minor repair works are completed.