VD Satheesan, the six-time Congress MLA and the leader who spearheaded the party’s march to victory 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.
Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office and secrecy to Satheesan and his 20-member Council of Ministers at a grand ceremony held at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.
Along with Satheesan, his 20-member Council of Ministers has also been sworn in, marking the first time in nearly six decades that an entire Kerala Cabinet has taken oath together on the same day.
Senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, attended the event along with chief ministers and leaders from several opposition-ruled states. Thousands of UDF workers and supporters gathered at the venue as the alliance formally took charge after defeating the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the 2026 Assembly elections.
In a display of democratic transition, outgoing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who now takes over as the Leader of the Opposition, was also present on stage, alongside BJP State President Rajeev Chandrasekhar.
The UDF secured a decisive mandate in the elections, winning 102 seats in the 140-member Kerala Assembly and ending the LDF’s 10-year rule.
Satheesan, who served as a confrontational and highly articulate Leader of the Opposition over the last five years, was widely credited as the chief architect of this comeback. Following days of deliberate high-command discussions involving other state heavyweights like KC Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala, Satheesan was elected as the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader.
The new Cabinet reflects what Congress leaders described as a “generational shift” in Kerala politics, with a majority of first-time ministers inducted into the government. Of the 21-member ministry, including the chief minister, 14 are fresh faces.
The Cabinet also accommodates key allies in the United Democratic Front (UDF), including the IUML, which has secured five ministerial berths, besides representation for Kerala Congress factions and other coalition partners.
According to sources, Satheesan is expected to retain key portfolios, including Finance and Ports, while senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala is likely to handle the Home department along with Vigilance. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Sunny Joseph is expected to be allocated the Revenue portfolio.
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