THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Marking the beginning of a new era in state politics, Congress leader V D Satheesan will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Kerala, along with his 20 cabinet colleagues, at Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday.
Following two days of hectic deliberations and intense political manoeuvring, UDF allies were forced to settle for a reduced share after big brother Congress adopted a belligerent posture, keeping control of 12 cabinet berths and important portfolios.
Notably, the K C Venugopal faction maintained an upper hand in the selection of Congress ministers. While the IUML got five berths, it was not allotted the crucial higher education portfolio, and was given the fisheries department instead.
Sources said the Congress leadership asserted its dominance during discussions on portfolio allocations, leaving smaller coalition partners with limited room for negotiation. This is learnt to have triggered dissatisfaction among some allies, though the front eventually managed to arrive at a consensus.
While CM Satheesan will have control of the finance, law, ports, public administration and other unallocated departments, Ramesh Chennithala will head the home and vigilance portfolios. Other likely allocations include Sunny Joseph (revenue), A P Anil Kumar (health), K Muraleedharan (electricity and devaswom), M Liju (excise), P C Vishnunadh (cooperation and culture), T Siddique (forest), Roji M John (transport),
Bindhu Krishna (women and child welfare, dairy development and social justice), O J Janeesh (youth welfare), K A Thulasi (welfare of SC/ST and backward classes), P K Kunhalikutty (industries, IT, mining and geology), P K Basheer (public works), K M Shaji (local self-government), N Samsudheen (general education), V E Abdul Gafoor (minority welfare and waqf), Mons Joseph (water resources and irrigation), Shibu Baby John (agriculture), C P John (labour) and Anoop Jacob (food and civil supplies).
After the government completes two-and-a-half years, IUML leader Parakkal Abdulla will be inducted into the ministry.
Two women, as many SC mins in new UDF cabinet
IUML state president Panakkad Sadiq Ali Thangal is expected to decide who would make way for Abdulla. Sources in the IUML said V E Abdul Gafoor is likely to be replaced. Similarly, Anoop Jacob of the Kerala Congress may be replaced by Mani C Kappan of the Kerala Democratic Party after two-and-a-half years.
Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan will be the new speaker, while Shanimol Usman has been proposed as deputy speaker.
Sources in the Congress said the portfolios would be formally finalised soon, as several dissatisfied Congress and allied leaders continued to exert pressure on the party leadership and Satheesan for more favourable portfolios.
The new cabinet has 14 new faces. There are two women ministers, while SC representation has increased to two. Congress has also accommodated three ministers from the influential Ezhava community. Though there are six ministers from the Christian community, the Latin Catholic Church has expressed discontent over the alleged lack of representation of the community. However, Congress has clarified that the community is represented by Shibu Baby John.
There is also strong dissatisfaction among backward caste communities and SC communities against the non-allocation of good portfolios even after the Sivagiri Mutt sought Satheesan’s intervention. There is also strong discontent in the SC organisation against the alleged attempt to take away the health portfolio allotted to Anil Kumar and give it to K Muraleedharan.
Satheesan met Governor Rajendra Arlekar on Sunday and submitted the list of cabinet ministers. Addressing a press conference later, Satheesan said it was after six decades that a full UDF cabinet was being sworn in. He also said the ministers were selected after discussions with senior party leaders and with the approval of the AICC leadership. “After the first cabinet meeting, the new government will announce its pro-people decisions,” he said.