Power cuts, memes and political jabs: Kerala's blackout woes take over social media

Kerala’s prolonged power cuts have triggered widespread public anger, with social media flooded with complaints, memes and trolls targeting the state government and the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB).

Power cuts lasting more than an hour have been reported at night in several areas, with residents complaining that outages are continuing even after midnight without prior information. The disruptions have affected households, children and people working from home, with many taking to social media to question the government over the situation.

Videos shared online show women with toddlers complaining about unannounced outages, while employees working from home and families with young children have also highlighted the difficulties caused by the cuts.

Many social media users have urged the government and KSEB to at least announce the timings of scheduled power cuts in advance so that people can plan accordingly.

GOVT BLAMES DEMAND SURGE

Kerala Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph said the state was currently experiencing a sharp increase in electricity demand compared with the same period last year.

“We have a situation in which power cuts will take place more than one time in a day,” Joseph said, adding that he had held special meetings with the KSEB chairman and other officials to assess the situation.

Joseph said electricity demand had increased by more than 1,000 MW compared with the corresponding period last year.

“We can’t limit it to one time because of the shortage. There is a demand surge of 1,000 MW right now when compared to what it was during this time last year,” he said.

The minister attributed part of the increase to the expansion of residential and commercial infrastructure and greater use of air conditioners.

“We have constructed more buildings and houses in the last year, so naturally the demand is high as AC is there in all of these. And when the heat increases, the usage of fan and ACs also increase,” Joseph said.

He urged people to cooperate with the authorities, saying the power shortage could continue for a few more days until the situation is brought under control.

OPPOSITION TARGETS CONGRESS GOVT

The power crisis has also triggered a political battle in the state. The opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) has accused the Congress-led government of bringing back power cuts in Kerala after nearly a decade.

The issue has given the opposition fresh ammunition against the government, with criticism also spilling onto the streets and social media.

CPI(M) workers were seen distributing candles among the public while making political announcements mocking the government’s handling of the crisis.

In one such campaign, workers reportedly referred to the first power cut as the “Indira cut” and subsequent cuts as the “Satheesan cut”, targeting Congress leaders.

POWER CUTS BECOME SOCIAL MEDIA FODDER

As the outages continue, Kerala’s social media space has become a hub for memes and political satire.

Beyond political trolling, many posts have focused on the practical problems faced by ordinary residents, particularly those dealing with young children, working late from home or relying on electricity for essential household needs.

While the government has cited the unprecedented demand surge and rising use of cooling appliances as reasons for the shortage, public frustration has increasingly centred on the lack of advance information about outages.

The government has said the situation is temporary and appealed for public cooperation as authorities work to address the power shortage.