V.D. Satheesan Sworn In as Chief Minister Along with 20 Cabinet Ministers
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Marking a historic power shift in southern politics, Congress leader V.D. Satheesan was officially sworn in as the 13th Chief Minister of Kerala on Monday. The grand ceremony, held at a packed Central Stadium, officially brought the curtain down on a decade of Left Democratic Front (LDF) rule.
Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office and secrecy to the 61-year-old Chief Minister and his 20-member Council of Ministers in a ceremony lasting just over an hour.
A Resounding Mandate
The swearing-in follows a spectacular landslide victory for the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in the April 9 Assembly elections. The alliance decimated the opposition by capturing a staggering 102 seats out of the 140 available in the state legislature.
Mr. Satheesan, who deftly navigated Kerala’s political landscape as the Leader of the Opposition from 2021 to 2026, was the first to take the podium. As he concluded his oath, the stadium erupted in cheers. Governor Arlekar presented him with a congratulatory bouquet, while senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi greeted the newly minted Chief Minister with a warm embrace on stage.
The New Council of Ministers
The newly formed Cabinet reflects a unified UDF front, balancing veteran leadership with a highly calculated regional coalition. Of the 21 Cabinet positions, the Congress holds 12 berths, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) secures 5, and the remaining seats are distributed among the smaller alliance partners.
A notable moment of diversity during the ceremony occurred during the oath-taking language preferences:
- Language of Choice: All Ministers chose to take their oaths in Malayalam, with the sole exception of senior Congress leader K. Muraleedharan, who took his oath in English.
- Ideological Assertions: While the majority took the oath in the name of God, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) leader Shibu Baby John and Communist Marxist Party (CMP) leader C.P. John chose to make a solemn affirmation instead, staying true to their secular, socialist roots.
Complete Cabinet List (In Order of Swearing-In):
- V.D. Satheesan (Chief Minister)
- P.K. Kunhalicutty
- Ramesh Chennithala
- Sunny Joseph
- K. Muraleedharan
- Mons Joseph
- Shibu Baby John
- Anoop Jacob
- C.P. John
- A.P. Anil Kumar
- N. Samsudheen
- P.C. Vishnunadh
- Roji M. John
- Bindu Krishna
- M. Liju
- K.M. Shaji
- P.K. Basheer
- V.E. Abdul Gafoor
- T. Siddique
- K.A. Thulasi
- O.J. Janeesh
This marks the first time in 60 years that a Kerala government has sworn in a “complete Cabinet” entirely at one go, signaling the UDF’s desire for immediate administration. The new cabinet includes two women and two representatives from Scheduled Caste (SC) communities.
The high-profile event saw attendance from multiple Chief Ministers and political leaders from various states, alongside thousands of ecstatic UDF workers who had traveled from all corners of Kerala. The official allocation of portfolios is expected to be released via gazette notification later today.