Kerala CM Satheesan to handle Finance, Law as Guv approves portfolio recommendations

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister V D Satheesan will handle the key Finance and Law portfolios, along with 36 other departments, after Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Wednesday allocated portfolios among the UDF cabinet ministers in Kerala who were sworn in on May 18.

Following the Chief Minister’s recommendations, which the Governor approved, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala was designated Minister for Home, Vigilance and three other departments.

The portfolios were later circulated via a gazette notification as per which the CM will also handle all important policy matters and subjects not mentioned elsewhere.

Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader P K Kunhalikutty will take care of Industries and Commerce, Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Startups, Mining and Geology and Handlooms and Textiles, it said.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief Sunny Joseph was given charge of Electricity, Environment and Parliamentary Affairs, while senior party leader K Muraleedharan will head 8 departments, including Health, Devaswoms, Food Safety, Drugs Control and Medical Education, the Lok Bhavan said.

Besides them, Roji M John will handle Higher Education, A P Anil Kumar will head Land and Revenue and N Shamsudheen will be the General Education Minister, it said.

Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) MLA Shibu Baby John got Forests and Wildlife Protection and Skill Development, while Kerala Congress (Joseph) legislator Mon Joseph will head the Irrigation, Ground Water, Water Supply and Sanitation and Housing Departments, the Lok Bhavan added.

The Road and Water Transport Departments will be headed by Communist Marxist Party (CMPKSC) MLA C P John, Food and Civil Supplies will be taken care of by Kerala Congress (Jacob) MLA Anoop Jacob and IUML MLA V E Abdul Gafoor will take chare of Fisheries Department, it said.

Of the remaining IUML MLAs in the Cabinet, P K Basheer will head Public Works Department and K M Shaji got the charge of Local Self Government authorities, as per the Lok Bhavan.

Among the Congress leaders in the council of ministers, P C Vishnunadh was given charge of Tourism, Culture, Kerala Chalachithra Academy and two other departments, M Liju got Cooperation and Excise, T Siddique will take care of Agriculture and three other departments and K A Thulasi was designated Minister of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes Development.

Additionally, Bindu Krishna was given charge of six departments including Labour and Animal Husbandry, while O J Janeesh will head seven departments that include Sports, Youth Affairs, Registration and Zoos, the Lok Bhavan said.

During a press conference by Satheesan earlier, he rejected reports of any delay in deciding the portfolios, claiming that all disagreements about allocation of departments were solved on Monday itself.

He said the list of portfolios was ready by Monday night after the swearing-in ceremony, but the Governor did not return to the state capital till Tuesday night as he had gone to Thrissur.

“On Wednesday morning, we gave the list to the Governor. So, where was the delay? All disagreements ended by Monday night. Usually 48 hours is taken after the swearing-in to finalise the list of portfolios. This time it was done by Monday night. We did not know the Governor was not in the state capital on Tuesday,” he contended.