Chief Minister-designate V.D. Satheesan faces tough balancing act; Congress factions push for loyalists ahead of Monday’s swearing-in ceremony.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM — Following the high-stakes selection of V.D. Satheesan as the next Chief Minister of Kerala, the United Democratic Front (UDF) has entered a critical phase of internal negotiations to finalise its new cabinet. While the first official UDF meeting held on Friday remained a brief, cordial affair, it set the stage for a series of intense, face-to-face discussions scheduled for Saturday to resolve the delicate exercise of ministerial portfolio allocation.
UDF Convenor Adoor Prakash announced that individual bilateral talks with alliance partners will be conducted first, followed by a full UDF meeting later in the day to formally approve the final list of ministers. “Arrangements are being made for alliance leaders to take the oath of office on Monday, May 18, along with the Chief Minister,” Prakash stated, indicating a tight deadline for the coalition.
Alliance Partners Seal Ministerial Quotas
A broad consensus has already emerged regarding the number of cabinet berths allocated to the coalition partners based on their electoral performance:
- Indian Union Muslim League (IUML): With 22 seats, the IUML is set to retain its previous strength of five ministers.
- Kerala Congress: Holding seven seats, the party will receive two prominent posts, though it remains to be seen if both will be ministerial portfolios or if one will include the Chief Whip position.
- Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP): The party, which has three MLAs, will be allocated one cabinet berth.
- Single-MLA Allies: Kerala Congress (Jacob), CMP, and Mani C. Kappen’s Kerala Democratic Party are also slated to receive representation. Meanwhile, RMP leader K.K. Rema has not yet expressed an inclination to join the cabinet.
In an intriguing political development, top UDF sources revealed that the leadership is open to offering a cabinet berth to former minister and Ambalappuzha MLA G. Sudhakaran. The coalition considers this move a gesture to represent traditional Left voters who backed the UDF in this election, though Sudhakaran has reportedly not shown initial interest.
Internal Friction Within Congress Over Berths
The real challenge lies within the Congress party, which is expected to retain 11 ministerial berths including the Chief Minister, alongside the Speaker’s post. AICC General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal arrived in the capital on Friday evening to oversee the final selection, bringing visible factional dynamics to the forefront.
Both Venugopal and veteran leader Ramesh Chennithala—who missed out on the Chief Minister’s post—are expected to aggressively lobby for their respective loyalists. Reports suggest that Chennithala has sought the high-profile Home portfolio, alongside a cabinet seat for a leader from his faction.
Senior Congress MLAs including K. Muraleedharan, Sunny Joseph, and Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan are widely considered certainties for the cabinet. However, pressure is being mounted on Radhakrishnan to accept the Speaker’s post, a role he has yet to agree to. KPCC Working Presidents A.P. Anil Kumar and P.C. Vishnunath, both viewed as close to Venugopal, are also among the frontrunners.
Chief Minister-designate Satheesan is reportedly pushing for a modern, inclusive cabinet, insisting on the inclusion of at least two women ministers—with Bindu Krishna and Shanimol Usman topping the list—and at least four young MLAs. These youth berths are likely to become the primary battleground between competing party factions during Saturday’s final round of deliberations.
