T’puram: Hours before V D Satheesan was officially named Kerala’s next chief minister, Cantonment House in the capital wore an unusually quiet look.The opposition leader’s sprawling four-acre official residence had its gates wide open and lights glowing across the compound. But there were no celebrations, slogan shouting or crowds usually associated with a victorious camp waiting to take power.Only a few staff members sat inside the office attached to the residence, constantly checking phones for news updates. The silence inside the compound was broken only by the seven geese that roamed freely around the property, moving around as if they alone owned the place. Uncertainty over the chief ministership had drained the mood inside Satheesan’s camp as political discussions and media speculation increasingly suggested K C Venugopal as Congress high command’s possible choice.The first signal that the tide was turning came when news reached the residence that Satheesan left his Aluva residence for Thiruvananthapuram along with his family — something close associates considered unusual and politically significant.Soon, the residence turned into an unofficial control room. Every few minutes, updates came about Satheesan’s movement towards the capital. Phones of staff members, personal assistants and security officers rang continuously. Outside, television crews had already taken positions near the gates waiting for the final announcement from New Delhi.Boxes of sweets had also arrived, but nobody was willing to distribute them. “Wait until the official announcement comes. This is Congress party. Nothing is certain until Delhi says it,” one staff member remarked.The mood began to change by 11am. Calls from Delhi now carried certainty instead of speculation. Workers who had remained hesitant slowly started entering the compound with confidence. Around 11.45am, Satheesan arrived at Cantonment House along with his wife and daughter. Supporters, party workers and television crews surged towards the vehicle as it entered the compound. Security personnel struggled to make way as Satheesan slowly moved through the crowd towards the residence.By the time he entered, it was exactly noon — almost the same moment the AICC leadership in New Delhi formally announced him as Kerala’s next chief minister. Inside the dining room, where a television had been fixed for updates, a small group of close associates stood around Satheesan. The moment the announcement was heard, days of tension inside Cantonment House gave way to relief.Satheesan hugged those around him and shook hands with close associates as smiles spread across the room. Within minutes, Congress leaders and newly elected MLAs including Mohammed Shiyas, Shanimol Usman, C R Mahesh, V T Balram and M J Sebastian began entering the residence.Outside, Congress workers erupted into slogan shouting and celebration. Even the security atmosphere changed instantly. Till then, police presence inside the compound had remained minimal as nearby ministerial residences were still occupied by outgoing LDF ministers. But soon after the announcement, senior police officials, including the city police commissioner, moved inside as Cantonment House rapidly transformed from the residence of the opposition leader into the political centre of the incoming govt.Within minutes, the entire place resembled a festival ground. Yet through all the noise and celebration, the seven geese continued moving around the compound loudly and restlessly, seemingly unaffected by the transfer of power unfolding around them.In an earlier casual conversation, Satheesan had joked that whenever crowds gathered there, the geese deliberately made louder noise “probably to remind everyone that they are the real owners of the place.” On Thursday afternoon, as slogans rose and television cameras flashed across Cantonment House, the geese screamed even louder — perhaps making their own claim over who truly wielded power there.
