Top Congress leaders arrive in Kerala for the swearing-in of the UDF government, with V D Satheesan set to become CM. The UDF won 102 of 140 seats in the 2026 assembly polls, ending the LDF's decade-long rule in the state.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, along with Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi and party leader Priyanka Gandhi, on Monday arrived in Thiruvananthapuram to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the UDF-led government.
Congress leaders KC Venugopal and Bhupesh Baghel, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, and Keralam Congress in-charge Deepa Dasmunshi arrived at the airport to recieve the party leadership.
Earlier, while speaking briefly to ANI, KC Venugopal said, "Everything is alright."
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 that important decisions would be taken after the Cabinet meeting. "Today we are celebrating our victory in Keralam. 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.
V D Satheesan to be CM, Cabinet Ministers Named
V D Satheesan is set to take oath as the Chief Minister of Keralam shortly at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, along with his full Council of Ministers, marking the return of the UDF to power after a decade.
The 20-member Cabinet that will take oath along with Satheesan 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. Satheesan 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.
UDF Secures Decisive Mandate in 2026 Polls
The swearing-in ceremony comes after the UDF secured a decisive mandate in the 2026 Keralam Assembly elections, ending the Left Democratic Front's (LDF) 10-year rule in the state.
Satheesan, on Sunday, formally announced the 20-member Cabinet and later met Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at Lok Bhavan to submit the list of ministers who will take oath along with him.
Addressing a press conference after meeting the Governor, Satheesan said the entire Cabinet would be sworn in together with the Chief Minister after nearly six decades."Along with the Chief Minister, the full Cabinet will take the oath together after nearly six decades. Among the 63 Congress MLAs, there are many deserving leaders. Several deserving leaders have also been left out and remain outside the Cabinet. There is sadness and difficulty in that. Various limitations, criteria and social realities led to such decisions," Satheesan said.
He said the government formation process was completed in record time after extensive consultations within the Congress party and coalition partners.
The UDF registered a landslide victory in the 2026 Assembly elections, winning 102 seats in the 140-member House. The Congress emerged as the single-largest party with 63 seats, while the IUML won 22 seats. The LDF was reduced to 35 seats, while the BJP won three constituencies. (ANI)
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