The new government in Kerala, led by Chief Minister-designate V.D. Satheesan, is set to finalize its cabinet ahead of the swearing-in ceremony scheduled for Monday. Discussions over the composition of the ministry are in the final stages, with the list of ministers expected to be submitted to the Governor by 2 p.m. today. Intensive consultations among alliance partners and leadership have been ongoing since morning.
Congress representative Deepa Dasmunshi has confirmed that discussions on the cabinet formation are progressing well. The new administration is expected to have a 21-member cabinet, including the Chief Minister. Political sources suggest that the Congress is likely to secure 11 ministerial positions, including the Chief Minister’s post. Discussions with alliance partners regarding their ministerial representation are still underway.
Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala is expected to take charge of the Home portfolio in the new cabinet. Other Congress nominees almost finalized for ministerial positions include Sunny Joseph, K. Muraleedharan, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, A.P. Anil Kumar, P.C. Vishnunath, M. Liju, Chandy Oommen, and Bindu Krishna. The allocation of portfolios is expected to be finalized after formal approval of the cabinet list.
The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a coalition partner, is likely to receive five ministerial positions in the new government. Names such as P.K. Kunhalikutty, K.M. Shaji, N. Shamsuddeen, and Parakkal Abdulla are under consideration. However, internal differences have emerged over the possible inclusion of P.K. Basheer, with some expressing reservations. The final cabinet composition will reveal the power-sharing arrangement within the UDF government before the swearing-in ceremony.
