Congress leader V. D. Satheesan took oath as the new Chief Minister of Kerala on Monday at a grand ceremony held at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, marking the return of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) to power after 10 years.
The oath of office was administered by Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar in the presence of senior Congress leaders, alliance partners, political dignitaries, and thousands of supporters gathered at the venue.
Along with Satheesan, 20 ministers from the UDF alliance also took oath, forming one of the youngest cabinets in Kerala’s recent political history. Reports noted that 14 ministers are first-time entrants to the cabinet, reflecting a major generational shift within the Congress-led alliance.
Senior Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Mallikarjun Kharge attended the swearing-in ceremony along with Chief Ministers from Congress-ruled states.
The new ministry includes representatives from Congress, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), RSP, Kerala Congress, and other UDF allies. The cabinet formation followed days of intense political discussions after the UDF’s landslide victory in the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections.
Political observers described Satheesan’s rise as a significant moment in Kerala politics, especially after the Congress high command ended nearly 10 days of suspense before officially naming him as Chief Minister.
Security arrangements across Thiruvananthapuram were tightened ahead of the event, with heavy police deployment, traffic restrictions, and large public screens installed at multiple locations for supporters to watch the ceremony live.
Satheesan is expected to hold the finance portfolio temporarily while detailed portfolio allocations for ministers are likely to be officially announced soon.
The swearing-in ceremony officially marks the beginning of the new UDF government’s term after defeating the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front in the Assembly elections.
