VD Satheesan takes oath as Kerala Chief Minister as Congress-led UDF returns to power

PTC News Desk: V. D. Satheesan, the six-time Congress MLA who led the party’s successful campaign in the Assembly elections, was sworn in as the 13th Chief Minister of Kerala on Monday, marking the return of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) to power in the state after a decade.

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.

Alongside Satheesan, the entire 20-member Council of Ministers also took oath, making it the first time in nearly six decades that a full Kerala Cabinet has been sworn in together on the same day.

In a notable display of democratic transition, outgoing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who will now serve as the Leader of the Opposition, was present on the stage during the swearing-in ceremony along with Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

The new Cabinet has been described by Congress leaders as a “generational shift” in Kerala politics, with a majority of first-time ministers included in the government. Out of the 21-member ministry, including the chief minister, 14 are new faces.

The Cabinet also gives representation to major allies of the United Democratic Front, including the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), which has been allotted five ministerial positions, along with members from Kerala Congress factions and other coalition partners.