Ramesh Chennithala to take oath as minister as Kerala CM-designate VD Satheeshan unveils his Cabinet

A day ahead of the oath-taking ceremony of the Congress-led UDF government in Kerala, Chief Minister-designate VD Satheesan on Sunday unveiled his 20-member Council of Ministers, ending days of intense speculations.

Despite emerging as the single largest party and leading the UDF alliance to a landslide victory, the Congress has recieved limited Cabinet berths, with representation from key allies, including the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Kerala Congress and other constituent parties.

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Senior leader Ramesh Chennithala, who was among the key contenders for the Chief Minister’s post, will be inducted in the Satheeshan Cabinet along wtih state Congress President Sunny Joseph.

K. Muraleedharan, A.P. Anil Kumar, P.C. Vishnunadh, Roji M. John, Bindhu Krishna, M. Liju, T. Siddique, K.A. Thulasi, O.J. Janeesh have also been included in the Council of Ministers.

From IUML, P.K. Kunhalikutty, N. Samsudheen, K.M. Shaji, P.K. Basheer and V.E. Abdul Gafoor will take oath as ministers.

Mons Joseph of Kerala Congress, Joseph Shibu Baby John of Revolutionary Socialist Party, Anoop Jacob of Kerala Congress-Jacob, and C.P. John of Communist Marxist Party are other names in the Satheesan Cabinet.

Sources indicated that the Chief Minister-designate pointed out that although the Congress secured 63 seats in the Assembly, only 11 members from the party could be accommodated in the ministry because of alliance commitments and power-sharing arrangements.

Meanwhile, IUML State President Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal announced that veteran leader Parakkal Abdulla would also be inducted into the cabinet after the completion of the first half of the government’s term.

The swearing-in ceremony of the new UDF government is scheduled to take place at Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday, May 18, 2026.