THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The new LDF Government under Pinarayi Vijayan will swear in on May 25 evening at Central Stadium in the capital. Speaking to reporters after meeting party veteran V S Achuthanandan at Cantonment House here on Saturday morning, Chief Minister designate Pinarayi Vijayan said, “we have decided to organise the function at Central Stadium on May 25 in the evening.” Governor P Sathasivam will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the new CM and ministers. It is expected that 19 ministers, including the CM, will assume office. The LDF meet on Sunday will arrive at a final picture on ministry formation, including the ministries to be allotted to each of the LDF constituent and their portfolios. It is learnt that youngsters and women may get preference when ministers are selected.
Sources said the CPM might go for 12 ministers, including the Chief minister, and the CPI will get four ministers. Meanwhile, the Janata Dal (S), NCP and the Congress (S) will get one Cabinet berth each. The Speaker and Deputy Speaker posts will be shared between the CPM and CPI, respectively. For the CPM, all the State Secretariat members who were elected could get berths in the Cabinet. The names of Thomas Isaac, A K Balan, M M Mani, E P Jayarajan, S Sharma, G Sudhakaran, K K Shailaja, Suresh Kurup, Kdakampally Surendran, Aisha Potty and K T Jaleel are doing the rounds as minister probables. One among them would be chosen for the post of Speaker.
CPI Ministers
The CPI state executive that met here analysed the post-poll scenario and discussed names of the minister probables. Though there was an opinion in the state executive that in view of the CPI getting 19 seats, the party should demand an additional Cabinet berth, senior leaders said the CPI would not demand more minister posts. Senior leader and party state executive member E Chandrasekharan could be the CPI’s parliamentary party leader. The other names being considered for minister posts are V S Sunil Kumar, P Thilothaman, E S Bijimol and K Raju, in addition to former ministers C Divakaran and Mullakkara Ratnakaran. The CPI state executive and state council will meet on Monday at MN Smarakam to finalise the ministers.