'Bring our Teacher back': Pinarayi faces flak for axing Shailaja Teacher from new Kerala cabinet
Under Shailaja Teacher, as KK Shailaja is popularly referred to, Kerala had overcome twin pandemics. She was at the helm when Kerala successfully overcame the Nipah virus outbreaks in 2018 and 2019.
FollowNone of the ministers of the previous Pinarayi Vijayan government will be retained in the new Kerala Cabinet that will be sworn in on May 20. The entire cabinet has been replaced by fresh faces from the CPI-M and the CPI.
But one controversial decision, to not retain KK Shailaja as the health minister, has come under intense scrutiny and criticism.
Under Shailaja Teacher, as KK Shailaja is popularly referred to, Kerala had overcome twin pandemics. She was at the helm when Kerala successfully overcame the Nipah virus outbreaks in 2018 and 2019.
In 2020, she was credited with controlling the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic in the state.
In September, the UK-based Prospect magazine selected KK Shailaja as the "Top Thinker of the Year 2020".
In the recently-concluded Kerala assembly election, Shailaja Teacher won with a whopping margin of over 60,000 votes for her constituency and home town Matannur.
When questioned, Left leaders sought to remind that the last Pinarayi Vijayan government too had new faces barring a couple of ministers and that the new faces will have the opportunity to perform as well as their predecessors.
