VD Satheesan submits cabinet list to Governor; 21-member ministry to take oath tomorrow

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister-designate V.D. Satheesan has submitted the final list of cabinet ministers to the Governor at the Lok Bhavan. Resolving eleventh-hour internal disputes, Satheesan arrived at the Governor's official residence around 5:30 PM to hand over the names.

The swearing-in ceremony for the new United Democratic Front (UDF) government is scheduled to take place tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM. A total of 21 members, including the Chief Minister, will take the oath of office.

Addressing the media shortly after his meeting with the Governor, Satheesan expressed regret over having to exclude certain deserving candidates. "The complete cabinet will take the oath along with the Chief Minister. We have submitted a list of 20 UDF ministers to the Governor. Due to complex social and communal equations, we could not accommodate several deserving individuals, which is deeply regrettable," he stated.

Portfolio Allocations

Congress Ministers & Portfolios

• V.D. Satheesan (Chief Minister): Finance, Ports, and Law
• Ramesh Chennithala: Home and Vigilance
• Sunny Joseph: Revenue
• A.P. Anil Kumar: Health
• K. Muraleedharan: Power
• P.C. Vishnunath: Tourism and Culture
• M. Liju: Excise and Cooperation
• T. Siddique: Forest
• Bindu Krishna: Women and Child Development
• O.J. Janeesh: Youth Welfare
• Roji M. John: Higher Education
• K.A. Thulasi / I.C. Balakrishnan: SC/ST Welfare (Term-sharing basis)

Legislative Appointments

• Speaker: Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan
• Deputy Speaker: Shanimol Usman
• Chief Whip: Allocated to Kerala Congress

Notable Exclusions

In a surprising move, prominent leaders V.T. Balram and Chandy Oommen have been excluded from the final cabinet lineup, reportedly due to the strict regional and communal balancing acts required during the high-level talks. Meanwhile, Youth Congress State President O.J. Janeesh secured a spot in the final list.