Thiruvananthapuram, May 18: VD Satheesan, the six-time Congress MLA who spearheaded the party’s successful Assembly election campaign, was sworn in as the 13th Chief Minister of Keralam on Monday, marking the return of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) to power after a decade.

Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office and secrecy to Satheesan and his 20-member Council of Ministers during a grand ceremony held at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.

Along with Satheesan, the entire 20-member Cabinet also took oath on the same day, marking the first time in nearly six decades that a full Kerala ministry has been sworn in together.

Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Attend Ceremony
Senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, attended the swearing-in ceremony.

Chief ministers and leaders from several opposition-ruled states were also present, while thousands of UDF workers and supporters gathered at the venue as the alliance formally assumed office after defeating the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the Assembly elections.

Pinarayi Vijayan Attends Swearing-In As Opposition Leader
In a significant democratic gesture, outgoing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan attended the ceremony and took his place as the Leader of the Opposition.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar was also present on stage during the event.

Cabinet Reflects ‘Generational Shift’ In Kerala Politics
Congress leaders described the new ministry as a “generational shift” in Kerala politics, with a majority of first-time ministers inducted into the government.

Out of the 21-member Council of Ministers, including the Chief Minister, 14 ministers are fresh faces.

The Cabinet also accommodates major UDF allies, including the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), which secured five ministerial berths, besides representation for Kerala Congress factions and other alliance partners.

Key Portfolios Likely To Be Finalised Soon
According to sources, Satheesan is expected to retain the Finance and Ports portfolios.

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala is likely to be assigned the Home and Vigilance departments, while Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Sunny Joseph is expected to handle the Revenue portfolio.

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The UDF secured a decisive mandate in the Assembly polls, winning 102 seats in the 140-member Kerala Assembly and ending the LDF’s 10-year rule in the state.

Satheesan, who served as a confrontational and articulate Leader of the Opposition over the last five years, was widely credited as the principal architect behind the Congress-led alliance’s comeback.

Following several rounds of discussions involving senior leaders such as KC Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala, Satheesan was elected leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP).