Senior Congress leader K.C. Venugopal might have lost the race to the chief minister’s chair but has managed to establish a strong hold on the new Kerala government under V.D. Satheesan.
Satheesan on Sunday unveiled a 20-member cabinet ahead of the swearing-in of the new government, comprising experienced leaders and 14 first-time ministers, including two women and two members of the Scheduled Caste community.
Addressing a media conference after submitting the list of ministers to governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Satheesan said the names were finalised after taking into account social and regional balance within the coalition.
The list has several Venugopal loyalists who have also been assured of key portfolios. The AICC general secretary (organisation) has ensured ministerial berths for nine loyalists among the 12 Congress MLAs included in the council of ministers.
Satheesan had to be content with just two of his loyalists, senior MLA K. Muraleedharan and Shanimol Usman, who are slated to become the power minister and deputy Speaker, respectively.
Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala’s demand to accommodate three of his loyalists was also not met.
The ministers whose names have been announced include Congress’s Chennithala, Muraleedharan and A.P. Anil Kumar, besides KPCC chief Sunny Joseph.
Senior IUML leader P.K. Kunhalikutty, the RSP’s Shibu Baby John, Kerala Congress’s Mons Joseph and the Kerala Congress (Jacob)’s Anoop Jacob will also become ministers.
As many as 14 members of the cabinet are new faces, which include CMPKSC’s C.P. John and IUML leaders N. Shamsuddin, K.M. Shaji, P.K. Basheer, and V.E. 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.
The selection of ministers has disgruntled many — not just within the UDF but also communities that have supported the coalition, including the Latin Catholic Church, which is upset over the lack of representation in the new ministry.
The vicar-general of the Latin Catholic Church, Eugene H. Pereira, lashed out at the Congress leadership. “This is the normal procedure the political parties take. They make tall promises during elections, but fail to deliver. Despite having four MLAs from Thiruvananthapuram district, which has a lengthy coastline, the Congress has sidelined us,” he said.
The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a key UDF constituent having 22 MLAs, has got five berths in the new government.
A section of Congress leaders, including Venugopal, have flagged the disproportionate cabinet ratio compared to the legislative strength of the IUML (22 MLAs) and the Congress (63 MLAs).
When Satheesan met the media at Cantonment House here after calling on the governor, he evaded questions on Venugopal’s influence in the cabinet.
He said senior Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several chief ministers, were expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony.
