V D Satheesan
Party: Congress Portfolio: CM (Finance, Law and Ports)Constituency: Paravur Age: 61 Edu: BA LLM
As leader of the opposition, Satheesan played a central role in shaping the UDF’s campaign against the ruling LDF through sustained issue-based attacks and anti-incumbency mobilisation. The defining moment came when he declared that he would go into ‘vanavas’ (political exile) if the UDF failed to return to power. The statement, seen as a highrisk political gamble that could have damaged his career, resonated strongly with voters and became symbolic of the UDF’s determined comeback, culminating in a landslide victory.
K Muraleedharan
Party: Cong Portfolio: Electricity and Devaswom Constituency: Vattiyoorkavu Age: 69 Edu: BA
He was among the senior leaders to back Satheesan, and his inclusion in the cabinet was almost certain. Though he reportedly sought the health portfolio, he is likely to handle power, a department he briefly held in the A K Antony ministry in 2004. A three-time MLA from Vattiyoorkavu, he currently remains outside major factions. He will be a relatively independent and experienced senior hand in the cabinet.
Ramesh Chennithala
Party: Congress Portfolio: Home and Vigilance
Constituency: Haripad Age: 69 Education: BA
Initially reluctant to join the Satheesan cabinet after he was denied the chief minister’s post, he shifted his stance on the intervention of the Congress high command, amid concerns over the political optics of his absence. He secured the home and vigilance portfolios. A veteran leader, Chennithala was Kerala’s youngest minister at 28 in the K Karunakaran cabinet (1986-87)and later served as home minister and leader of opposition. His inclusion is seen as an attempt to balance experience, factional equations and administrative heft within the ministry.
Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan
Party: Congress Post: Speaker Constituency: Kottayam Age: 80 Edu: LLB
A steady performer for the UDF, he built a reputation as a leader who consistently retained the confidence of his electorate, winning assembly elections continuously since 1991. Though overlooked for a ministerial berth, his proximity to the K C Venugopal camp ensured his elevation to the speaker’s post. The appointment is seen as both a recognition of his long legislative experience and an attempt to maintain political balance within UDF.
T Siddique
Party: Congress Portfolio: Forest Constituency: Kalpetta Age: 51 Edu: LLB
Considerations over Muslim representation within the Congress played a key role in the inclusion of Siddique. While Satheesan was understood to have favoured Shanimol Osman, and senior leader Ramesh Chennithala backed Anwar Sadath, the pressure from K C Venugopal for Siddique proved irresistible. Siddique representing Kalpetta, part of the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency being represented by Priyanka Gandhi, also worked in his favour. His inclusion reflects the attempts by Congress to strengthen its Muslim representation in Malabar beyond the IUML.
Shanimol Osman
Party: Congress Post: Deputy speaker Constituency: Aroor Age: 59 Edu: MA LLB
Shanimol Osman’s return to the assembly from Aroor marks both a political comeback and the consolidation of the Satheesan camp within the party. A prominent women’s leader and the first woman from Kerala to serve as AICC secretary, Shanimol has remained a visible organisational face of the party. Her victory regains gender representation for the Congress legislature party and strengthens Satheesan’s political support base.
A P Anil kumar
Party: Cong Portfolio: Health Constituency: Wandoor
Age: 61 Edu: Pre degree
A P Anil Kumar’s inclusion into the cabinet reflects K C Venugopal’s growing influence in the state Congress and the balancing of caste and regional equations in the UDF ministry. A trusted Venugopal loyalist and a senior Scheduled Caste face in the party, Anil also gives Congress representation from Malappuram, where the IUML has secured major space in the cabinet. A former minister in the Oommen Chandy government, he has retained Wandoor since 2001 with consistent Congress-IUML support.
M Liju
Party: Cong Portfolio: Excise Constituency: Kayamkulam Age: 46 Edu: LLB
A K C Venugopal loyalist, Liju’s support for the former during the chief ministerial discussions strengthened his prospects for a cabinet berth. His elevation also helps the party improve Ezhava representation in the ministry. After unsuccessfully contesting assembly elections earlier, he has now emerged as one of the younger faces in the cabinet. His inclusion reflects organisational loyalty and leadership’s attempt to balance community and generational considerations.
Shibu Baby John
Party: RSP Portfolio: Agriculture Constituency: Chavara Age: 62 Edu: BTech
For Shibu Baby John and the RSP, the 2026 election was crucial to retaining political relevance within the UDF. His victory from Chavara, a constituency closely associated with his father Baby John, strengthened both his position and that of the party. A businessman and film producer, Shibu previously served as labour minister in the second Oommen Chandy government. After briefly leading a separate faction, RSP (Baby John), formed in 2005, he rejoined the parent party in 2014. His return to the cabinet marks a political revival.
Bindhu Krishna
Party: Cong Portfolio: Women and Child Welfare Constituency: Kollam Age: 53 Edu: LLM
A prominent leader aligned with the K C Venugopal camp, Bindhu’s induction also strengthens Ezhava representation in the cabinet, an important consideration in Kerala’s coalition politics. Despite defeats in 2011, 2014 and 2021, she remained active within the Congress organisation at the state and national levels. Her 2026 victory from Kollam, by a margin of 16,830 votes, marked a significant breakthrough. Having served in the Mahila Congress, AICC and KPCC Political Affairs Committee, her elevation reflects organisational persistence.
N Samsudheen
Party: IUML Portfolio: General Education Constituency: Mannarkkad Age: 56 Edu: LLB
Samsudheen’s elevation to the cabinet reflects the IUML’s emphasis on experience, organisational balance and grassroots acceptability. A four-time MLA from Mannarkkad, he has built a strong personal connect across the constituency through constant public engagement and accessibility. By accommodating Samsudheen from Palakkad, the IUML also ensured regional representation in the cabinet while rewarding a leader with sustained electoral success and seniority within the party.
K A Thulasi
Party: Cong Portfolio: Welfare of SC/ST Constituency: Kongad Age: 52 Edu: MA, MPhil
A first-time MLA, she emerged as one of the UDF’s biggest winners by wresting a long-standing CPM stronghold. Her victory, alongside the growing influence of her husband and MP V K Sreekandan, has significantly altered the district’s political equations. Her appointment as Backward Classes Development Minister is also seen as socially significant, given her roots in the backward community. Her rise reflects the UDF’s gains in Palakkad and the Congress leadership’s broader social balancing.
Mons Joseph
Party: KC Portfolios: Water Resources, Irrigation Constituency: Kaduthuruthy Age: 62 Edu: LLB
With seven MLAs, Kerala Congress (Joseph) remains a significant ally in the UDF and has been pressing for stronger representation in the ministry. The party had sought two cabinet berths, arguing that it sacrificed seats to accommodate the Congress during alliance negotiations. However, Mons Joseph’s induction suggests the leadership will settle for a compromise formula, with the party getting the chief whip post – with Apu John Joseph named to the position – instead of a second cabinet berth.
O J Janeesh
Party: Congress Portfolio: Youth Welfare Constituency: Kodungallur Age: 37 Edu: LLB
First-time Kodungallur MLA Janeesh has quickly emerged as a prominent young face of the Congress in Kerala. A law graduate and former student activist, he rose through the Youth Congress and took over as its state president in 2025 after Rahul Mamkootathil’s exit. Seen as close to AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, Janeesh’s induction into the ministry also strengthens Venugopal’s influence in the cabinet while ensuring Ezhava community representation in the UDF government.
C P John
Party: CMP Portfolio: Labour Constituency: Thiruvananthapuram Age: 68 Edu: LLB
C P John’s entry into the cabinet is widely seen as delayed recognition for a leader with a long public and political career. General secretary of the Communist Marxist Party, he left the CPM in 1986 alongside M V Raghavan following ideological differences. Over the decades, he built a reputation as an articulate voice on labour, agriculture and decentralised planning, including through his role in the State Planning Board. After waiting years for an assembly victory, his ministerial berth marks a significant political milestone.
P C Vishnunadh
Party: Cong Portfolios: Coop and Culture Constituency: Kundara Age: 48 Edu: BCom
Backed by AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, Vishnunadh represents the younger generation that the Congress leadership is trying to project through the new cabinet. The 48-year-old has held key organisational roles, including KSU president, Youth Congress president, AICC secretary and KPCC working president. After beginning his assembly career from Chengannur in 2006, he later shifted to Kundara in 2021, where he was re-elected in 2026 with a margin of 32,564 votes.
P K Basheer
Party: IUML Portfolio: Public Works Constituency: Eranad
Age: 66 Edu: SSLC
Basheer’s inclusion reflects the IUML leadership’s attempt to balance organisational strength, cadre sentiment and regional representation. A four-time MLA from Eranad, Basheer commands strong grassroots influence and enjoys wide acceptability within the party rank and file through his accessible style and mass connect. The social media campaign seeking his inclusion demonstrated his popularity among supporters and the pressure it created within the party.
Anoop Jacob
Party: KC(J) Portfolio: Food and Civil Supplies Constituency: Piravom Age: 48 Edu: BA, LLB
Anoop’s return to the ministry is viewed as recognition of the Kerala Congress (Jacob)’s relevance and the Jacobite Church’s influence in the state. He entered the assembly in 2012 through the Piravom byelection, which was necessitated following the death of his father T M Jacob. In his very first term, he became food and civil supplies minister in the Oommen Chandy cabinet. Re-elected in 2016 and 2021 to the assembly, Anoop has consolidated his position within the UDF.
Roji M John
Party: Congress Portfolio: Transport
Constituency: Angamaly Age: 43 Edu: MPhil
Third-time MLA Roji emerged as one of the more active opposition voices in the assembly between 2021 and 2026. A former NSUI state president, he represents the younger leadership within the Congress and enjoys strong organisational grounding. Roji’s his alignment with the K C Venugopal camp have strengthened his position within the party. His continued electoral success from Angamaly has also enhanced his prospects for a larger role in the UDF leadership structure.
K M Shaji
Party: IUML Portfolio: Local Self-Government
Constituency: Vengara Age: 55 Edu: BBM
Known for his fiery speeches and strong oratory, he remains one of the IUML’s most effective crowd-pullers despite controversies over the communal tone of some remarks. His candidature in Vengara, once represented by P K Kunhalikutty, signalled his emergence to the top tier of the party leadership. A native of Kozhikode, Shaji’s inclusion in the cabinet also carries organisational significance, helping the IUML address discontent in the district, where the party won six seats but initially lacked ministerial representation.
V E Abdul Gafoor
Party: IUML Portfolio: Minority Welfare and Waqf Constituency: Kalamassery Age: 49 Edu: LLB
First-time MLA, he entered the assembly after defeating CPM leader and minister P Rajeeve in Kalamassery. His victory is seen as politically significant as it strengthened the IUML’s presence in southern Kerala, beyond its traditional Malabar strongholds. Though his inclusion in the cabinet came as a surprise, it reflects the party’s attempts at regional expansion. He won by a margin of 16,312 votes, making inroads into sections of LDF’s support base beyond minority consolidation.