Chief Minister-designate V. D. Satheesan has officially announced a 20-member Kerala cabinet ahead of the swearing-in ceremony scheduled for May 18 at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. The new Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government marks the coalition’s return to power in Kerala after a decade.
According to reports, the new ministry includes a mix of experienced leaders and fresh faces, with 14 first-time ministers making it one of the youngest cabinets in recent Kerala political history. The cabinet also includes representation from alliance partners including the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), RSP, Kerala Congress, and Kerala Congress (Jacob).
Senior Congress leaders Ramesh Chennithala, K. Muraleedharan, and A. P. Anil Kumar are part of the ministry along with KPCC president Sunny Joseph.
IUML leaders including P. K. Kunhalikutty, P. K. Basheer, K. M. Shaji, and V. E. Abdul Gafoor have also been included in the cabinet.
Among the first-time ministers are Congress leaders P. C. Vishnunadh, Roji M John, Bindu Krishna, T. Siddique, K. A. Thulasi, and O. J. Janeesh.
The UDF leadership stated that the cabinet formation was finalised after multiple rounds of discussions to ensure regional, social, and coalition balance. Satheesan said several deserving leaders could not be accommodated because the Congress alone had won 63 seats, but the cabinet size remained limited.
The ministry includes two women ministers and two Scheduled Caste representatives as part of the coalition’s inclusivity strategy. Portfolio allocations are expected to be officially announced after the swearing-in ceremony and subsequent approval by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar.
The oath-taking ceremony is expected to witness the presence of senior Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Mallikarjun Kharge, along with Chief Ministers from Congress-ruled states.
Political observers say the new cabinet reflects Satheesan’s attempt to combine experienced leadership with generational change as the UDF begins its new term in power.
