In a rare political move in Kerala, Chief Minister-designate VD Satheesan has decided not to keep the powerful Home portfolio with himself, choosing instead to hand it over to his party rival senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala - a decision widely seen as a reconciliation move. Confirming the move, Chennithala said on Monday: "Today is an auspicious day for the people of Kerala because after 10 years, the UDF is coming to power... It is our bounden duty to give good governance to the people of Kerala. The new government is going to be sworn in today... I am going to take up the Home portfolio."
In Kerala, and many other states, the Home portfolio usually rests with the CM. For instance, in the preceding government of Pinarayi Vijayan in the state, the former CM kept the Home portfolio with himself for the entire decade-long tenure of the LDF government.
Before that, in the Congress' last government in the state, former chief minister late Oommen Chandy kept the Home portfolio with him. But later due to political exigencies, he handed over the portfolio to Chennithala in 2014. That was the first time Chennithala became the home minister of the state.
In neighbouring Tamil Nadu, where a new government has been sworn in last week, the star-turned-politician Vijay has kept the Home portfolio with himself as the Chief Minister. Even in smaller states like Goa, the Chief Ministers have traditionally kept the Home portfolio.
In neighbouring Tamil Nadu, where a new government has been sworn in last week, the star-turned-politician Vijay has kept the Home portfolio with himself as the Chief Minister.
The development comes days after an intense leadership tussle within the Congress following the UDF’s sweeping victory in the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections. Satheesan was eventually picked by the Congress high command as Chief Minister, despite strong claims from Chennithala and AICC general secretary KC Venugopal.
Chennithala’s disappointment had become visible almost immediately. He skipped key party meetings and maintained public silence after allegedly being overlooked for the top post. Reports suggested that the Congress leadership stepped in quickly to prevent tensions from escalating inside the newly victorious UDF camp.
The solution appears to have come in the form of the Home and Vigilance portfolios - among the most influential departments in Kerala politics. According to multiple reports, Satheesan personally met Chennithala in Thiruvananthapuram as part of efforts to ease tensions and bring him fully into the new government.
Chennithala later publicly softened his stance, saying, "I am always a Congressman and all along I have been a true Congressman."
The Satheesan cabinet, which takes oath on Monday, marks the Congress-led UDF’s return to power in Kerala after a decade, ending the CPI(M)-led LDF government headed by Pinarayi Vijayan.
Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now
