Minister V. D. Satheesan on Wednesday shared the portfolios among the ministers in a new United Democratic Front (UDF) government formed by Congress in Kerala, keeping important departments like finance and law and general administration for himself.
Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar approved the distribution of the portfolio and it was subsequently officially notified in a government gazette. Satheesan is responsible for 36 departments, which, apart from Finance and Law, handle major policy and other subjects not delegated to other ministers.
Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has been put in charge of influential Home and Vigilance departments and three other ministries. The transfer of power is viewed as a big challenge to the experienced leader in the new Cabinet.
State Congress chief Sunny Joseph will be managing the electricity, environment and parliamentary affairs departments while senior leader K. Muraleedharan will be heading the health, medical education and Devaswom departments, to name a few.
The second largest ally in the UDF cabinet was the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), which got a number of key departments in the cabinet. Senior IUML leader P.K. Kunhalikutty is given charge of industries, commerce, information technology, artificial intelligence, startups, mining and textiles.
Other ministers in the Cabinet are Roji M. John (higher education) and A. P. Anil Kumar (land and revenue) and P. C. Vishnunadh (tourism and culture). The newly formed UDF government will be more concerned about governance reforms and economic revival and welfare measures as it takes office.