THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In line with the prior agreement within the LDF for a mid-term cabinet reshuffle, ministers Antony Raju and Ahammad Devarkovil resigned on Sunday paving the way for the induction of K B Ganesh Kumar and Ramachandran Kadannappally into the Pinarayi Vijayan ministry.
Antony Raju and Devarkovil called on the chief minister at Cliff House and tendered their resignations. Soon after, a meeting of the LDF formally announced the entry of Ganesh and Kadannappally to the cabinet. “Ganesh and Kandanappally will be sworn in on December 29 evening.
Their portfolios will be decided by the chief minister,” LDF convener E P Jayarajan told reporters. During the formation of the second Pinarayi Vijayan government, it was decided to give cabinet representation to even those LDF constituents with a single MLA — Kerala Congress Democratic, INL, Kerala Congress (B) and Congress (S).
As per the agreement, Antony Raju of Kerala Congress Democratic and Ahammad Devarkovil of INL were made ministers with the understanding that they will step down after two-and-a-half years to make way for Ganesh of KC(B) and Kadannapally of Congress (S).
The government held informal discussions with the Raj Bhavan on the date of swearing-in before the announcement was made at the LDF meeting.
What transpired at LDF meeting
“Governor Arif Mohammed Khan is scheduled to be back in Thiruvananthapuram on December 28. After the swearing-in of the new ministers on December 29, the governor will leave for Delhi,” a Raj Bhavan source said. Ganesh is expected to get the transport portfolio, currently held by Antony Raju, and Kadannappalli ports, museum, archaeology and archives held by Devarkovil.
Ganesh served as minister for transport from 2001 to 2003 and for forest, sports and cinema from 2011 to 2013. Kadanappally was minister for devaswom, printing and stationery from 2009 to 2011 and for ports, museums and archaeology from 2016 to 2021.
Although the state LDF leaders met after a gap of over a month owing to the Nava Kerala Sadas, the meeting had only the cabinet reshuffle as the sole agenda. CM Pinarayi Vijayan informed the leaders that it was decided during the formation of the ministry itself that four constituents would have equal representation in the cabinet for two-and-a-half years each.
The CM informed the meeting that the swearing-in will be held at 4 pm on December 29. Although outgoing and designated ministers were present at the meeting, no one chose to speak. However, RJD national general secretary Varghese George told the meeting about political development at the national level. Since communist parties, socialists and regional parties were joining hands, a socialist party should have representation in the LDF ministry.
However, it did not elicit any response from the CM or other leaders. RJD state president M V Sreyams Kumar told TNIE that the induction of new ministers was “normal” as it was decided earlier. “But we will continue to raise our demand for a ministerial birth,” he said. The LDF also decided to have a detailed review of the Nava Kerala Sadas at its next meeting.