TheCongress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) will mark its return to power on Monday (today, May 18), two weeks after the assembly election results were declared on May 4. Congress leaderVD Satheesanwill be sworn in as the Chief Minister, along with other cabinet colleagues, including that of the alliance member - The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). Today’s event will mark the end of 10-year-old Left rule in Kerala, also the last state where it was in power. On May 4, the Congress-led UDF alliance won the assembly election with a decisive mandate, together winning a total of 106 seats with Congress bagging 63 and its alliance partner 22, among other regional allies.
The Left Democratic Front (LDF) was reduced to just 35 seats, with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) winning 26 seats and the Communist Party of India securing 8. Other allies registered marginal gains, in the 140-member assembly.
Though UDF secured a decisive mandate, it took almost 8-9 days for the Congress party to finally seal the name of its Chief Minister-designate, after multiple contenders emerged for the post. The Congress party faced challenging negotiations to reach a consensus among all the stakeholders, including alliance partners, to decide the CM name, post-election results in Kerala.
VD Satheesan: The outgoing Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Kerala assembly and a 6-time MLA from Paravur. Satheesan was backed by key alliance partner Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and credited with reviving the party’s prospects in the state.
KC Venugopal: A Congress veteran, and the incumbent AICC General Secretary and also a sitting member of the Lok Sabha. Venugopal is known for his close proximity with the party’s central leadership or the high command.
Ramesh Chennithala: Chennithala is a prominent face of the Kerala Congress, and a senior organisation veteran. He had previously served as LoP from 2016-2021.
After days of deliberations, intense negotiations, and drama, the Congress finally announced VD Satheesan as the next CM-designate in Kerala.
Hours before his swearing-in, VD Satheesan met Kerala governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Sunday evening and handed him over a list of 20 cabinet-minister designate.
The list of 20-member cabinet comprises experienced leaders and 14-first-time ministers including two women and two members of the scheduled caste community.
Satheesan said the names were finalised after discussions among alliance leaders, taking into account social and regional balance within the coalition.
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