VD Satheesan Sworn In As Kerala Chief Minister, 21-Member UDF Cabinet Takes Oath In Grand Ceremony
Congress leader VD Satheesan was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Kerala on Monday in a grand ceremony held at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.
With the oath-taking, the United Democratic Front (UDF) officially returned to power in the state after a decade, ending the tenure of the LDF government led by Pinarayi Vijayan.
Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office and secrecy to Satheesan and members of his 20-member Cabinet. Satheesan took the oath in Malayalam and was greeted with loud cheers from party workers and supporters gathered at the venue.
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The new Cabinet includes a mix of senior leaders and first-time ministers from Congress and its alliance partners. Senior Congress leaders Ramesh Chennithala, K Muraleedharan, AP Anil Kumar and KPCC chief Sunny Joseph were among those sworn in as ministers.
Alliance partners also secured representation in the Cabinet. Senior IUML leader PK Kunhalikutty, RSP leader Shibu Baby John, Kerala Congress leader Mons Joseph, Kerala Congress (Jacob) leader Anoop Jacob and CMP leader CP John also joined the ministry.
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The Cabinet also features several fresh faces. IUML leaders N Shamsuddin, KM Shaji, PK Basheer and VE Abdul Gafoor took oath as ministers. Congress leaders P C Vishnunadh, Roji M John, Bindu Krishna, T Siddique, KA Thulasi and OJ Janeesh were also inducted as first-time ministers.
Several top national and state leaders attended the swearing-in ceremony, turning the event into a major political gathering.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Telangana CM Revanth Reddy and Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu were present at the venue.
Senior BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar and CPI leaders also attended the ceremony, reflecting the significance of the political transition in Kerala.
Ahead of the government formation, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala indicated that he would take charge of the Home portfolio in the new administration. He also said the government would implement the five major guarantees announced by Rahul Gandhi during the Assembly election campaign.
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Among the key promises made by the UDF government are free KSRTC bus travel for women, a monthly stipend of ₹1,000 for girl students in colleges, an increase in welfare pensions to ₹3,000, health insurance coverage up to ₹25 lakh per family, and interest-free loans up to ₹5 lakh for young entrepreneurs.
The oath-taking ceremony began at 10 am amid tight security and enthusiastic crowds. Political observers say the Satheesan-led government now faces the immediate challenge of delivering on its welfare promises while addressing Kerala’s financial and development concerns.
