Thiruvananthapuram: Congress leader VD Satheesan on Monday took oath as the Chief Minister of Kerala, ushering in a Congress-led government in the southern state after a decade and marking the return of the United Democratic Front (UDF) to power following a decisive electoral victory.
Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office to the 61-year-old leader at a ceremony held at Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. Satheesan was sworn in along with a 20-member Council of Ministers comprising leaders from the Congress and its UDF allies.
Senior Congress leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, attended the swearing-in ceremony, alongside leaders from other Congress-ruled states.
Satheesan’s elevation comes 10 days after the Congress-led alliance secured a commanding mandate in the Kerala Assembly elections, ending the Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) decade-long rule. The UDF won 102 seats in the 140-member Assembly, with the Congress emerging as the single-largest party by winning 63 seats. Alliance partner Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) secured 22 seats.
Seen as the architect of the Congress comeback in Kerala, Satheesan had emerged as a strong contender for the top post after spearheading the party’s campaign and aggressively targeting the LDF government on governance and financial issues.
However, his appointment followed days of internal deliberations amid reports that sections of the Congress leadership were backing senior party leader KC Venugopal for the position.
Political observers view Satheesan’s elevation as a recognition of his growing popularity among party workers and public support, as well as backing from key UDF ally IUML. Media reports suggest consultations involving senior Congress leaders eventually paved the way for a consensus around his leadership.
The new Cabinet includes senior Congress leaders Ramesh Chennithala, K Muraleedharan and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sunny Joseph. The IUML secured five ministerial berths, while smaller UDF allies such as Kerala Congress (Joseph), Revolutionary Socialist Party, Kerala Congress (Jacob), and Communist Marxist Party were also accommodated.
Among the ministers are Ramesh Chennithala, Sunny Joseph, AP Anil Kumar, PC Vishnunadh, Roji M John, Bindu Krishna, T Siddique and K A Thulasi from the Congress, along with IUML leaders PK Kunhalikutty, PK Basheer, N Samsudheen, KM Shaji and VE Abdul Gafoor.
Satheesan has also announced senior Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan as the Speaker of the Kerala Assembly, while Shanimol Usman will serve as Deputy Speaker.
Even before formally assuming office, Satheesan signalled a shift in governance style, promising austerity measures and an end to VIP culture in the state. He has announced that ministers, including the chief minister, will continue using vehicles from the previous administration instead of purchasing new official cars.
The chief minister has also said he would travel with a reduced security convoy, a move aimed at projecting fiscal discipline at a time when Kerala faces financial stress.
With several first-time ministers in the Cabinet and expectations of administrative reforms, the Satheesan government now faces the challenge of translating its electoral mandate into governance.
