Satheesan sworn in as Kerala Chief Minister
Besides Satheesan, his 20-member Cabinet will also be sworn in by the Governor
Congress leader VD Satheesan on Monday (May 18) took oath as Kerala's Chief Minister, and Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office to him in Thiruvananthapuram.
Satheesan took the oath in the name of God.
Cabinet sworn in
Besides Satheesan, his 20-member Cabinet will also be sworn in by the Governor.
The 20-member Cabinet features several senior Congress leaders, including Ramesh Chennithala, K Muraleedharan, A P Anil Kumar and KPCC president Sunny Joseph. Also sworn in were senior IUML leader P K Kunhalikutty, RSP leader Shibu Baby John, Kerala Congress leader Mons Joseph, Kerala Congress (Jacob) leader Anoop Jacob, and CMP leader C P John.
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Fourteen members are entering the Cabinet for the first time, among them Chief Minister Satheesan, who assumes an executive role for the first time despite representing Paravur since 2001.
First-time faces
The ministry has two women members and includes two representatives from the Scheduled Caste community.
Among the newcomers are CMP leader John, along with IUML leaders N Shamsuddin, K M Shaji, P K Basheer and V E Abdul Gafoor.
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Congress leaders P C Vishnunadh, Roji M John, Bindu Krishna, T Siddique, K A Thulasi and O J Janeesh have also joined the Cabinet as first-time ministers.
Top leaders attend
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, among others, attended the swearing-in ceremony.
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Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled states, former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Left leaders, and BJP representatives also attended the ceremony.
Thousands of Congress workers arrived in the state capital from across Kerala for the event.
Election Outcome
The Assembly elections to the 140-member House were held on April 9, with the results declared on May 4. The Congress-led UDF won 102 seats, while the LDF secured 35 and the BJP won three.
(With agency inputs)