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Thiruvananthapuram: Chief minister-designate V D Satheesan connected Sunday evening unveiled a 21-member UDF furniture up of Monday's swearing-in ceremony. Of the 21 ministers, 14 — including Satheesan himself — are first-timers.
The ministry besides includes 2 women and 2 members from the Scheduled Caste community.Announcing the furniture aft submitting the database of ministers to Governor Rajendra Arlekar, Satheesan said the full UDF ministry would beryllium sworn successful together, marking the archetypal clip successful astir six decades that a afloat UDF furniture volition instrumentality oath simultaneously.Congress secured 11 ministerial berths too the main minister's post, portion Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has been allotted 5 positions.
Kerala Congress (Joseph), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), Kerala Congress (Jacob) and Communist Marxist Party (CMP) person got 1 berth each.Ramesh Chennithala, Sunny Joseph, K Muraleedharan, A P Anilkumar, P C Vishnunadh, Bindhu Krishna, M Lijju, T Siddique, Roji M John, K A Thulasi and O J Janeesh are the Congress ministers. IUML nominees are P K Kunhalikutty, K M Shaji, N Shamsudheen, P K Basheer and V E Abdul Gafoor.
Mons Joseph (KC-Joseph), Anoop Jacob (KC-Jacob), Shibu Baby John (RSP) and C P John (CMP) are the different ministers.Satheesan besides announced that Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan would beryllium the Speaker and Shanimol Usman the Deputy Speaker. Defending the last composition, helium said lone 11 ministerial positions were disposable for Congress contempt the enactment having 63 MLAs. Social and determination balance, on with women and Dalit representation, were cardinal factors successful finalising the list, helium said.Sources, however, indicated that nominees backed by K C Venugopal secured a important beingness successful the ministry and besides gained prominence successful the allocation of portfolios. The improvement reportedly near respective MLAs aligned with Satheesan extracurricular the cabinet, portion immoderate of his preferences successful portfolio organisation besides did not materialise.The induction of Janeesh and Thulasi emerged arsenic surprises. Shanimol Usman, Anwar Sadath, V T Balram and Chandy Oommen were reportedly considered until the last stages, but they failed to unafraid furniture positions.Portfolio discussions continued precocious into Sunday. According to indications, Satheesan is apt to clasp Finance, Law and Ports, portion Home and Vigilance whitethorn spell to Chennithala. Revenue is expected to beryllium handled by Sunny Joseph, Power by Anilkumar, Tourism and Culture by Vishnunadh, Excise and Cooperation by Lijju, Women and Child Development by Bindhu Krishna, Forest by Siddique, Backward Class Development by Thulasi and Sports and Youth Affairs by Janeesh.
The portfolio for Roji remained undecided till precocious evening.Sources said Muraleedharan, who was reportedly offered the Power portfolio astatine 1 stage, was yet assigned Health and Devaswom aft further discussions. He was initially assured the Health portfolio, but it was aboriginal withdrawn pursuing unit from the campy led by Venugopal. Muraleedharan reportedly protested the determination and adjacent threatened to skip the swearing-in ceremony.The portfolios for allies are besides undecided. Kerala Congress (Joseph) had sought 2 furniture berths portion the Congress enactment reportedly persuaded it to settee for 1 ministerial presumption and the main whip post. The enactment appointed Apu John Joseph arsenic the main whip precocious successful the night, portion Mons Joseph is expected to get Water Resources and Irrigation. Congress has besides asked Anoop Jacob to stock the furniture berth with Mani C Kappan connected a word basis, connected which a last determination had not been taken.
Discussions are continuing connected the portfolios of Shibu Baby John and Anoop. C P John is apt to beryllium allotted Transport, portion Anoop is understood to person sought Food and Civil Supplies. Shibu Baby John has reportedly staked assertion for Water Resources and Irrigation, a portfolio expected to beryllium handled by Mons Joseph.
