VD Satheesan takes oath as Kerala CM with 20 Cabinet ministers, ends decade-long Left rule
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.
Marking a historic political shift in the state, senior Congress leader VD Satheesan on Monday (May 18) took oath as the 13th Chief Minister of Kerala, ending a decade-long Left rule in the southern state. Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office and secrecy in a grand ceremony at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. Satheesan took the oath in the name of God.
Congress president Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Telangana CM Revanth Reddy, Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, and Karnataka deputy CM D K Shivakumar attended the swearing-in. Former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam, and IUML leaders were also present.
Kerala joins Karnataka and Telangana to become the third Congress-ruled state in the south in recent times.
20 ministers take oath
Along with Satheesan, the Congress-led UDF Cabinet was also sworn in. The ministers who took oath include senior Congress leaders and former ministers Ramesh Chennithala, K Muraleedharan, and A P Anil Kumar, besides 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, including 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, also took the oath.
Kerala Cabinet
- VD Satheesan
- Ramesh Chennithala
- PK Kunhalikutty
- Sunny Joseph
- K Muraleedharan
- Mons Joseph
- Shibu Baby John
- Anoop Jacob
- CP John
- AP Anil Kumar
- N Samsudheen
- PC Vishnunath
- Roji M John
- Bindu Krishna
- M Liju
- KM Shaji
- PK Basheer
- VE Abdul Gafoor
- T Siddique
- KA Thulasi
- OJ Janeesh
PM Modi congratulates VD Satheesan
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Satheesan on taking oath as the Chief Minister of Kerala and assured all possible support for the newly formed Kerala government in fulfilling the aspirations of the people.
"Heartfelt congratulations to V D Satheesan Ji, who has taken the oath as the Chief Minister of Kerala. I extend my best wishes for his tenure. To fulfill the aspirations of the people, the Central Government assures the newly formed Kerala Government of all possible support," PM Modi said in a post on X.
The Congress-led alliance clinched a decisive victory in the recently held Assembly elections, unseating the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front. Led by the Congress, which won 63 seats, the coalition achieved a landslide majority by capturing a total of 102 seats in the 140-member Assembly. The IUML won 22 seats, while the LDF won 35 seats, and the BJP managed to win three constituencies.
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