New faces dominate VD Satheesan’s 20-member Kerala Cabinet
VD Satheesan, who led the Congress-led UDF back to power in Kerala after a decade by decimating the Left front, took oath as Kerala Chief Minister on Monday. His 20-member Cabinet, including Ramesha Chennithala, who was in the CM race earlier, were also administered the oath of office by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Monday. Alliance parties, including the UDF’s second-largest constituent, IUML, have also been accommodated in the ministry.
Thousands of Congress workers arrived in the State capital from across Kerala for the event. Besides Satheesan and Chennithala, the new Cabinet includes senior Congress leaders K Muraleedharan, AP Anil Kumar and State party chief Sunny Joseph. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, among others, attended the swearing-in ceremony. CMs of Congress-ruled States, Siddaramaiah (Karnataka), A Revanth Reddy (Telangana) and Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu (Himachal Pradesh) and Karnataka deputy CM DK Shivakumar were in attendance.
Senior IUML leader PK Kunhalikutty, RSP leader Shibu Baby John, Kerala Congress leader Mons Joseph, Kerala Congress (Jacob) leader Anoop Jacob, and CMP leader CP John were also sworn-in as ministers.
There are 14 new faces in the Cabinet, including CM Satheesan. His ministry also includes two women — Kollam MLA Bindhu Krishna and Kongad legislator KA Thulasi, the latter also being a member of the Scheduled Caste community. The second member of the SC community in the Cabinet is AP Anil Kumar.
CMP leader John and IUML leaders N Shamsuddin, K M Shaji, P K Basheer and V E Abdul Gafoor are the other new faces in the Cabinet.
Congress leaders PC Vishnunadh, Roji M John, T Siddique and OJ Janeesh are also among the first-time ministers.
Satheesan’s predecessor and Marxist veteran Pinarayi Vijayan, Left leaders, and BJP representatives also attended the ceremony.
As each Cabinet minister took oath, loud cheers rose from thousands of UDF workers and supporters present at the venue.
The Assembly elections to the 140-member House were held on 9 April, with results declared on May 4. The Congress-led UDF won 102 seats, the LDF secured 35, and the BJP won three.
