V D Satheesan took oath as the 13th chief minister of Kerala on Sunday, heading a Congress-led United Democratic Front government after the alliance secured a majority in the state assembly election. Satheesan and a 21-member cabinet were sworn in at a ceremony in Thiruvananthapuram attended by senior Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Satheesan, who previously served as leader of the opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly, campaigned on promises of administrative reform, welfare expansion and stronger accountability in governance. His elevation marks a generational shift within the state Congress and consolidates the UDF’s return to power after years in opposition.
The new ministry includes representatives from Congress alliance partners, reflecting the coalition arithmetic that delivered the electoral victory. Governor Arif Mohammed Khan administered the oaths of office and secrecy to the chief minister and cabinet members in a public ceremony watched by party workers and supporters from across the state.
Congress leaders framed the result as a rejection of the previous Left Democratic Front government’s record on governance and development. Satheesan faces immediate challenges including fiscal management, infrastructure investment and addressing unemployment among Kerala’s educated youth.
The Gandhi siblings’ presence at the swearing-in signaled national Congress support for the new administration. Political analysts said Satheesan’s leadership style, rooted in grassroots organizing and legislative experience, will be tested quickly as the government prepares its first budget and policy agenda for the five-year term.
The election outcome reflected voter sentiment on unemployment, healthcare access and infrastructure development across Kerala’s 140 assembly constituencies. Satheesan’s cabinet includes portfolios spanning finance, education, health and local self-government, with several first-time legislators receiving ministerial responsibilities. Outgoing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan congratulated the UDF on its victory while pledging constructive opposition on policy matters affecting the state. Political analysts noted that Kerala’s alternating governance between LDF and UDF coalitions continues a decades-long pattern of competitive two-front politics. Kerala’s new government faces immediate fiscal decisions on pension obligations, disaster preparedness and coastal infrastructure investments prioritized during the campaign. Administrative secretaries briefed the incoming cabinet on pending policy files spanning education reform, healthcare infrastructure and disaster relief allocations.
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Sources:
https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2026/05/18/vd-satheesan-takes-oath-as-kerala-cm-20-ministers-also-sworn-in.amp.html