TRIVANDRUM, 19 May 2006 — The Left Democratic Front (LDF) has taken office in the southern Indian state of Kerala after five years. Nineteen ministers led by Chief Minister Velikkakath Shankaran Achuthanandan, the 83-year-old leader of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), were administered the oath of office and secrecy by Gov. R. L. Bhatia.
Thousands of workers gathered in the Central Stadium behind the secretariat to witness the ceremony held outside the premises of Raj Bhavan, the gubernatorial bungalow, for the first time in democratic Kerala’s history.
Achuthanandan was kept out of fray by his party but he fought and won in the politburo, the top decision-making body. But his Cabinet, except for two of his loyalists, is filled with his opponents and alliance partners.
Unlike in the past, a few insignificant departments are kept with the chief minister’s office and major portfolios are handled by his opponents in the party.
Senior CPI-M leader Paloli Mohammed Kutty, 74, who was initially projected as the candidate for the top post, was the second to take the oath followed by the Communist Party of India (CPI) leader C. Divakaran.
All but two took solemn affirmation. Janata Dal (Secular) leader Mathew T. Thomas and Kerala Congress (Joseph) leader P. J. Joseph were sworn in the name of God. Twelve ministers, including the chief minister, belong to the CPI-M. The CPI has four while others (KC (J), JD (S) and Revolutionary Socialist Party) have one minister each. Outgoing Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and prominent leaders of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) also attended the function.
Chief Secretary Mohammed Riazudheen introduced the ministers. The new Cabinet held its first meeting at the secretariat after a reception hosted by the governor at Raj Bhavan.
The Communists won the first election after the state’s formation in 1957 to form the world’s first democratically elected Communist government. They have won the elections alternatively with the support of mainly leftist allies.
The CPI-M that leads the LDF is plagued by bitter power struggle between Achuthanandan and the powerful party Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, who virtually controls the party, its feeder organizations and the publications and television station it owns.
Most of the CPI-M nominees are reformists loyal to Vijayan and they will check powers of the hard-liner, most glaringly deprived of the home portfolio generally held by the chief minister. However, Kerala’s 20th chief minister is assuming power with huge public support. Surveys have rated him much higher than all his opponents, both within and outside his party.
The following are ministers and their portfolios:
CPI-M: V. S. Achuthanandan (general administration), Paloli Mohammed Kutty (local self-government), Kodiyeri Balakrishnan (home), Dr. Thomas Isaac (finance), P. K. Sreemathy (health and social welfare), P. K. Gurudasan (labor), M. A. Baby (education), A. K. Balan (electricity, backward classes welfare), Elamaram Kareem (industries, information technology), G. Sudhakaran (cooperation, ports), M. Vijaya Kumar (law, sports, youth affairs) and S. Sharma (fisheries).
CPI: C. Divakaran (food, civil supplies, consumer protection), K. P. Rajendran (revenue), Mullakkara Ratnakaran (agriculture), Binoy Vishwam (forest, housing). JD (S): Mathew T. Thomas (transport). RSP: N. K. Premachandran (water resources). KC (J): P. J. Joseph (works).
