VD Satheesan to be sworn in as Keralam CM; top Congress leaders attend

VD Satheesan is set to be sworn in as Keralam's Chief Minister, leading the UDF government. Top Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, will attend the ceremony marking the UDF's return to power after a decade.

Congress MP KC Venugopal on Monday arrived at the airport in Thiruvananthapuram to welcome dignitaries arriving for the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister-designate VD Satheesan, as the United Democratic Front (UDF) prepared to assume power in Keralam after a decade. Speaking briefly to ANI, Venugopal said, "Everything is alright."

Dignitaries Arrive for Swearing-In

Several senior Congress leaders and Chief Ministers from Congress-ruled states are expected to attend the oath-taking ceremony scheduled to be held at 10 am at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy also arrived in Thiruvananthapuram to attend the swearing-in ceremony.

Congress MP K Suresh said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and the Chief Ministers of Karnataka and Telangana would attend the swearing-in ceremony. He added that important decisions would be taken after the Cabinet meeting. "Today we are celebrating our victory in Keralam. VD Satheesan-led government is taking oath at 10 AM. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, CM of Karnataka and Telangana will be coming to attend the ceremony. The people of Keralam are here. Very important decisions will be taken after the cabinet meeting following the swearing-in ceremony," he told ANI.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Shafi Parambil described the swearing-in day as significant for both the Congress party and the people of the state. "This is a big day for the Congress party and the UDF allies. It is also a big day for the people of the state. We will fulfil all the promises we have made to our people," Parambil said.

Key Portfolios and Guarantees

Earlier in the day, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala confirmed that he would take charge of the Home portfolio in the new Cabinet and said the government would implement the five guarantees announced by Rahul Gandhi during the Assembly election campaign.

The five guarantees include free bus travel for women, Rs 1000 monthly assistance for college-going girls, welfare pensions of Rs 3000, Rs 25 lakh Oommen Chandy Health Insurance coverage for every family, and interest-free loans up to Rs 5 lakh for small businesses.

New Cabinet Announced

Satheesan is set to take oath as the Chief Minister of Keralam along with his full Council of Ministers, marking the return of the UDF to power after the end of the Left Democratic Front's (LDF) 10-year rule. The 20-member Cabinet includes senior Congress leaders Ramesh Chennithala, K Muraleedharan and KPCC chief Sunny Joseph, along with Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leaders PK Kunhalikutty, PK Basheer, N Samsudheen, KM Shaji and VE Abdul Gafoor. Other ministers in the Cabinet are Mons Joseph, Shibu Baby John, Anoop Jacob, CP John, AP Anil Kumar, T Siddique, PC Vishnunath, Roji M John, Bindu Krishna, M Liju, KA Thulasi and O J Janeesh.

Other Key Appointments

Satheesan has also announced that senior Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan will serve as Speaker of the Assembly, while Shanimol Usman will be the Deputy Speaker. MLA Apu John Joseph has been appointed as the Government Chief Whip.

2026 Election Result Recap

The UDF secured a landslide victory in the 2026 Keralam Assembly elections, winning 102 seats in the 140-member House. The Congress emerged as the single-largest party with 63 seats, while the IUML secured 22 seats. The LDF won 35 seats, while the BJP managed to win three constituencies. (ANI)

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