Ending days of intense negotiations and political uncertainty, the new UDF government in Kerala on Wednesday finalised the portfolio allocation for its 21-member Cabinet and submitted the list to Governor Rajendra Arlekar. The official Gazette notification is expected shortly.
Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan has retained key portfolios including Finance, Law and Ports, signalling the government’s focus on financial restructuring and administrative control. Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has been entrusted with the influential Home and Vigilance departments — portfolios traditionally handled by the Chief Minister in Kerala governments.
Senior IUML leader P. K. Kunhalikutty has been allotted Industries and IT, while A. P. Anil Kumar received the Revenue portfolio. Sunny Joseph has been given Electricity, and K. Muraleedharan will handle Health and Devaswom. IUML leader V. E. Abdul Gafoor has been assigned Fisheries.
The announcement came two days after the swearing-in ceremony following prolonged discussions within the ruling alliance over key departments, coalition demands and community representation. Much of the delay centred around internal negotiations between the Congress and IUML, especially after objections from sections of the Latin Catholic Church regarding the lack of Cabinet representation for the community and the proposed allocation of the Fisheries department to the IUML.
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The full Cabinet portfolio allocation is as follows:
- V. D. Satheesan – Chief Minister; Finance, Law, Ports
- Ramesh Chennithala – Home, Vigilance
- A. P. Anil Kumar – Revenue
- Sunny Joseph – Electricity
- K. Muraleedharan – Health and Devaswom
- P. K. Kunhalikutty – Industries and IT
- Mons Joseph – Water Resources
- Shibu Baby John – Forest
- Anoop Jacob – Food and Civil Supplies
- C. P. John – Transport
- N. Samsudheen – General Education and Minority Welfare
- P. C. Vishnunadh – Tourism, Culture and Cinema
- Roji M John – Higher Education
- Bindhu Krishna – Labour
- M. Liju – Cooperation and Excise
- K. M. Shaji – Local Self-Government
- P. K. Basheer – Public Works
- V. E. Abdul Gafoor – Fisheries
- T. Siddique – Agriculture
- K. A. Thulasi – Backward Communities Development
- O. J. Janeesh – Youth Welfare
The Cabinet formation marks the first major political balancing exercise for the Satheesan government after the UDF’s decisive Assembly election victory, where the alliance secured 102 out of 140 seats, ending the LDF’s decade-long rule in Kerala.
Apart from administrative priorities, the final Cabinet structure also reflects efforts by the Congress leadership to balance regional representation, caste and community equations, generational leadership changes and internal factional interests, while accommodating coalition partners including the IUML, Kerala
