New Delhi:
Congress’s VD Satheesan who was chosen by the party after nine long days after the Kerala election results were declared, will take oath today with 20 members of his cabinet. The oath will be administered by Governor RV Arlekar.
Satheesan, seen as the architect of the Congress comeback after two unprecedented back-to-back terms by the Left-led LDF, was considered the obvious choice by many. But the Congress central leadership had wanted another man in the top post — KC Venugopal, the party’s General Secretary of Organisation, who has been identified with Delhi politics for decades.
Read: A 3-km Journey Sums Up The Big Political Journey Of Kerala’s VD Satheesan
The MLAs had sided with the Central leaders’ choice. It was the people who backed Satheesan, and the Congress ally IUML (Indian Union Muslim League).
Posters came up supporting him that irked the Congress’ Delhi leaders. There were threats for Rahul And Priyanka Gandhi at Wayanad that the constituency would do an Amethi — dropping them in the next election. That matter has now gone to court.
It was a phone conversation between INDIA bloc chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former Kerala Chief Minister AK Anthony that finally cleared the way for Satheesan.
Taking oath along with Satheesan are his cabinet colleagues — 11 of them from the Congress: Ramesh Chennithala, who was an aspirant for the top job, Sunny Joseph, K Muraleedharan, AP Anil Kumar, PC Vishnunadh, Roji M John, Bindhu Krishna, M Liju, T Siddique, KA Thulasi and OJ Janeesh.
Read: How VD Satheesan Was Picked For Kerala Top Job: Behind The Scenes
Congress ally Indian Union Muslim League or IUML will have five ministerial berths — PK Kunhalikutyy, KM Shaji, V Abdul Gafoor, N Shamsuddin and PK Basheer.
The cabinet will also include Mons Joseph (Kerala Congress-Joseph), Shibu Baby John (Revolutionary Socialist Party), Anoop Jacob (Kerala Congress-Jacob), and C.P. John (Communist Marxist Party).
As many as 14 members of the cabinet are new faces. The list includes CP John and IUML leaders N Shamsuddin, K M Shaji, PK Basheer, and VE Abdul Gafoor. Congress leaders P C Vishnunadh, Roji M John, Bindu Krishna, T Siddique, K A Thulasi, and O J Janeesh are also among the new ministers from the party.
Unlike Venugopal, Satheesan has no administrative background. In fact, he would be the first Chief Minister of Kerala who would be starting fresh in that area.
But the Chief Minister designate has already made a beginning, announcing several sweeping changes that spell an end to the financial extravagance and VIP culture in the state.
During his days in the opposition and in the run-up to the election, Satheesan had continuously flagged the dire financial straits the state is in. Now he has announced a series of austerity measures that includes scrapping the massive VIP convoy culture that had irked the people for long.
The Chief Minister has said he would travel only with a pilot vehicle and a single escort car. There will be no security vehicles or even ambulance.
Read: ‘Rahul, Priyanka Forget Wayanad’: Case Filed Over Posters Warning Gandhi Siblings
In another strong signal of fiscal discipline, he has rejected the long-standing practice of purchasing brand new luxury vehicles for ministers whenever a new government assumes office. Ministers, including the Chief Minister, will continue using the vehicles allotted during the previous administration, he has said.
Today’s ceremony will be attended by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, his Himachal counterpart Sukhvinder Sukhu, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and other leaders.
