Kerala State – Thiruvananthapuram : Senior Congress leader V D Satheesan on Monday took oath as Kerala’s 13th Chief Minister in a grand ceremony held at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, marking the return of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) to power after a decade.
Governor Rajendra V Arlekar administered the oath of office to Satheesan and his council of ministers at around 10 AM. Satheesan took the oath in the name of God, while two members of the Cabinet opted for a solemn affirmation.
The swearing-in ceremony formally ended the ten-year tenure of the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front government headed by veteran leader Pinarayi Vijayan. The event witnessed the presence of several top Congress leaders, including Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and party president Mallikarjun Kharge. Chief ministers from Congress-ruled states and senior UDF leaders also attended the ceremony.
Alongside Satheesan, a 20-member Cabinet assumed office. The Congress secured 11 ministerial berths, with prominent leaders such as Ramesh Chennithala, Sunny Joseph, K Muraleedharan, AP Anil Kumar, PC Vishnunadh, T Siddique, Bindu Krishna, KA Thulasi, Roji M John, M Liju, and OJ Janeesh taking oath as ministers.
Earlier, Satheesan announced key Assembly appointments, naming senior Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan as Speaker and Shanimol Usman as Deputy Speaker. MLA Apu John Joseph has been appointed Government Chief Whip.
Ahead of the ceremony, Satheesan said his government would focus on inclusive governance and balanced development. “With a sense of divine responsibility, I remain committed to ensuring inclusive governance, respecting all communities, and prioritising the development and progress of Kerala,” he said.
Highlighting the swift formation of the new government, Satheesan noted that the Cabinet was finalised within 24 hours — the fastest government formation process in Kerala’s history. He said social and regional representation, including adequate participation of women and Scheduled Caste members, had been carefully considered while constituting the ministry.
“We have discussed with coalition partners and completed the entire process within 24 hours. We ensured social balance, regional representation, women’s participation, and Dalit representation in the Cabinet,” he said.
Satheesan, who won from the Paravur constituency in the 2026 Assembly elections, secured his sixth consecutive term as MLA. He polled 78,658 votes and defeated CPI candidate ET Taison Master by a margin of 20,600 votes. Satheesan has represented Paravur since 2001.
The UDF registered a sweeping victory in the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections, winning 102 seats in the 140-member Assembly. The Congress emerged as the single-largest party with 63 seats — its highest-ever tally in the state — while the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) secured 22 seats. The Left Democratic Front was reduced to 35 seats, and the BJP won three constituencies.
