Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan has come under fire from leaders of his own party, the CPM, for attending a private function while heavy rains caused widespread disasters across the state. Party leaders said the visit was inappropriate at a time when thousands of people were affected by rain-related emergencies. Some senior CPM leaders compared the chief minister's actions to Nero fiddling while Rome burned, implying he was ignoring urgent relief work. They urged him to focus on disaster response and relief efforts. Kerala Tourism Minister P.C. Vishnunadh also said the priority should be on providing relief to those in need. The criticism highlights growing concern within the ruling party about the government's handling of the rain crisis.