The Left Democratic Front (LDF) government led by CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Pinarayi Vijayan will assume office on Thursday evening.
A 21-member Cabinet will be sworn in at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram at 3.30 p.m. by Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan following COVID-19 protocol norms in view of the triple lockdown in the capital district.
The Governor will administer the oath of office and secrecy to Chief Minister-designate Mr. Vijayan and other 20 members of his Cabinet at the stadium, located behind the Government Secretariat.
Mr. Vijayan led the Minister-designates of the CPI(M) and CPI to pay floral tributes at the Punnapra-Vayalar martyrs' memorial at Alappuzha on Thursday morning before returning to the capital for the swearing-in.
After being elected as the LDF parliamentary party leader on Tuesday, Mr. Vijayan had called on the Governor and had submitted the letter staking claim to form the government and the list of the Council of Ministers. The Governor has appointed Mr. Vijayan as the Chief Minister under Article 164(1) of the Constitution.
The Cabinet
Apart from Mr. Vijayan, the other members to be sworn in are M. V. Govindan, K. Radhakrishan, P. Rajeeve, K. N. Balagopal, V. N. Vasavan, V. Sivankutty, Saji Cheriyan, Veena George, P. A. Mohammed Riyas, R. Bindu, (all from CPI(M)); V. Abdurahman (Independent); K. Rajan, P. Prasad, G. R. Anil and J. Chinchu Rani (all of CPI), A. K. Saseendran (Nationalist Congress Party), K. Krishnankutty of Janata Dal (S), Roshy Augustine of Kerala Congress (M), Antony Raju of Janadhipathya Kerala Congress and Ahamed Devarkovil of the Indian National League (INL).
All except Mr. Vijayan, Mr. Radhakrishnan, Mr. Krishnankutty and Mr. Saseendran are becoming Ministers for the first time. It is the first time since the formation of the State that the electorate has given the mandate of a second consecutive term for a Chief Minister.
‘Fruit of continuity’
Mr. Vijayan, who became the 12th Chief Minister of the State while assuming power in May 2016, thus gets the rare privilege of mandate till 2026 by bagging the ‘fruit of continuity’ that had proved elusive to both the LDF and the UDF before.
The LDF bagged 99 seats in the elections held in April 16 and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) 41 seats. Mr. Vijayan, the star campaigner for LDF, was elected again from the Dharmadam Assembly constituency in Kannur by a margin of 50,123 votes.
Though the stadium in the capital could accommodate 50,000, the public had been barred entry to the event in view of the pandemic. The ceremony is held in a huge pandal erected in the stadium and is restricted to 500 invited guests. The oath-taking ceremony is also being telecast live by satellite channels and social media platforms.
