Satheesan takes oath as Kerala CM today, but Venugopal camp holds sway in Cabinet
A total of 21 MLAs, including 14 first-timers and 5 from IUML, to take oath as ministers; senior leader and CM aspirant Ramesh Chennithala to get key Home and Vigilance portfolios
Congress leader VD Satheesan after being announced as the next Chief Minister of Kerala, at Cantonment House, in Thiruvananthapuram. (PTI Photo) A 21-member United Democratic Front (UDF) Cabinet led by Chief Minister-designate V D Satheesan will assume office on Monday, 14 days after the Congress-led alliance swept the Kerala Assembly elections, winning 102 of the 140 seats.
The Cabinet includes 14 first-time ministers, including Satheesan. However, the list of Congress ministers, as announced by the CM-designate on Sunday, indicates that AICC general secretary K C Venugopal – who was one of the three contenders for the CM post – has ensured that the team is largely filled with his nominees.
While Satheesan will keep the Finance portfolio in the cash-strapped government, the key Home and Vigilance portfolios will be held by his rival Ramesh Chennithala. Most of the key portfolios allocated to the Congress are expected to go to ministers aligned with the Venugopal camp.
Satheesan, who has already surrendered the key Home and Vigilance portfolio to rival Ramesh Chennithala, will retain the Finance portfolio in the cash-strapped government. Most of the key portfolios allocated to the Congress are expected to go to ministers aligned with the Venugopal camp.
The Congress has handpicked four first-time legislators as ministers, sidelining several senior legislators as group loyalty emerged as a key factor in Cabinet formation. This will see Satheesan heading a Cabinet in which nominees of his two rivals hold key portfolios.
In the recently concluded polls, the Congress-led alliance’s strong showing had strengthened Satheesan’s claim to the CM’s post after weeks of intense lobbying within the party.
Allies’ share
Among the allies, the 22-member Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has secured five ministerial berths. Other allies — the Kerala Congress (Joseph), Kerala Congress (Jacob), RSP and CMP — have got one minister each.
IUML state president Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal, while announcing the names of the party’s five nominees, said the IUML would continue to retain portfolios it handled during the previous UDF regime from 2011 to 2016. Apart from naming five ministers, Thangal said another IUML legislator, Parakkal Abdulla, would be inducted into the cabinet after two-and-a-half years. It is learnt that one of the IUML ministers will step down to make way for Abdulla.
The IUML ministers include K M Shaji, who recently triggered controversy with his statement that the party would “rule for the community”. The portfolios handled by the IUML in previous UDF governments included Industries, Education, Public Works, IT and Local Self-Government, among others.
On Sunday evening, Satheesan handed over the list of ministers to be sworn-in to Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at Lok Bhavan. Announcing the names, Satheesan told reporters: “There were many eligible persons among the 63 Congress legislators. Many deserving leaders could not be accommodated as social and regional balance had to be considered. I am saddened that several deserving persons could not be included in the Cabinet. Multiple factors were taken into account while selecting ministers from among the Congress MLAs.”
Satheesan said the portfolios would be officially announced after the swearing-in ceremony. “We have reached an understanding regarding the portfolios,” he added.
The Cabinet has one minister each from the Scheduled Caste community in A P Anil Kumar and the Scheduled Tribes represented by K A Tulasi. Senior Congress MLA Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan will be the Speaker. Congress leader Shanimol Usman will be the Deputy Speaker.
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