UDF returns to power in Kerala: VD Satheesan takes oath as Chief Minister

Thiruvananthapuram: Marking a historic political shift in the state, Congress leader VD Satheesan was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Keralam on Monday, bringing the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) back to power after a decade-long gap following its decisive victory in the 2026 Assembly elections.

Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office to Satheesan and his 20-member Cabinet at a grand ceremony held at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.

The event witnessed a strong presence of national political leaders, underlining the significance of the UDF’s return to power. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and General Secretary KC Venugopal attended the ceremony.

Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers from Congress-ruled states, including Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, Telangana CM Revanth Reddy, and Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, were also present.

Former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, former Assembly Speaker AN Shamseer, Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar, and CPI leader Binoy Viswam were among other prominent leaders who attended the swearing-in.

20-member cabinet takes oath

Alongside Satheesan, a 20-member Cabinet was sworn in. The Chief Minister noted that the government formation was completed in under 24 hours — the fastest in Kerala’s history — while ensuring balanced representation across regions and communities.

“We have discussed with coalition partners and completed the entire process within 24 hours,” Satheesan said. “We have ensured social and regional balance, along with adequate representation for women and the Scheduled Castes.”

The Cabinet includes senior Congress leaders Ramesh Chennithala, K Muraleedharan and KPCC chief Sunny Joseph, along with Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leaders PK Kunhalikutty, PK Basheer, N Samsudheen, KM Shaji and VE Abdul Gafoor.

Other ministers sworn in include Mons Joseph, Shibu Baby John, Anoop Jacob, CP John, AP Anil Kumar, T Siddique, PC Vishnunath, Roji M John, Bindu Krishna, M Liju, KA Thulasi and O J Janeesh.

Assembly posts and party decisions

Satheesan announced that senior Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan will serve as Speaker of the Assembly, while Shanimol Usman will be Deputy Speaker. MLA Apu John Joseph has been appointed Government Chief Whip.

He reiterated that social and regional balance, along with representation for women and Scheduled Castes, were key priorities in cabinet formation.

“We have 63 MLAs. While many are eligible, we had to ensure fair representation across social and regional lines. We have included two members from the SC community and ensured women’s representation,” he said.

Decisive mandate ends LDF rule

The swearing-in follows the UDF’s landslide victory in the 2026 Keralam Assembly elections, ending the Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) 10-year rule.

The Congress emerged as the single largest party with 63 seats, while the IUML secured 22 seats. The LDF was reduced to 35 seats, and the BJP won three constituencies.

Satheesan’s political journey

Satheesan, who won from the Paravur constituency, secured his sixth consecutive Assembly victory with 78,658 votes, defeating CPI candidate ET Taison Master by 20,600 votes.

Born in 1964 in Nettoor near Kochi, he is a lawyer by profession and began his political career through the Kerala Students Union (KSU), later becoming active in the Youth Congress. He also served as Vice President of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee before becoming Leader of the Opposition in 2021.

Since then, he emerged as a key face of the UDF’s campaign against the LDF government, known for his sharp criticism on governance issues.

Campaign promises and policy agenda

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said the new government will prioritise implementing the five guarantees announced by Rahul Gandhi during the election campaign.

The promises include free bus travel for women, ₹1,000 monthly assistance for college-going girls, ₹3,000 welfare pensions, ₹25 lakh Oommen Chandy Health Insurance coverage for families, and interest-free loans up to ₹5 lakh for small businesses.

Ahead of the ceremony, incoming ministers expressed gratitude to the party leadership and pledged to deliver on the promises made to the people.

The UDF’s decisive mandate in the 2026 Assembly elections has been widely seen as a major political shift in the state’s electoral landscape.