Kerala portfolio allocation: CM Satheesan keeps 35 ministries, including finance; Ramesh Chennithala gets home, four other departments

NEW DELHI: Kerala governor Rajendra Arlekar on Wednesday approved the portfolio allocation recommended by chief minister VD Satheesan, the Lok Bhavan said, two days after the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government was sworn in.The UDF returned to power in Kerala after a decade, defeating the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the April 9 assembly elections. The alliance secured 102 seats in the 140-member assembly, including 63 won by the Congress.Satheesan, who served as leader of opposition in the previous assembly, will oversee 35 departments, including finance, law, general administration, and ports.Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, who was a contender for the chief minister’s post before Satheesan was chosen, has been given the key home portfolio. Chennithala will also handle vigilance along with three other departments.PK Kunhalikutty, a senior leader of the Congress ally Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), has been assigned key portfolios including industries and commerce, information technology, artificial intelligence, startups, mining and geology, and handlooms, and textiles.With 22 seats, the IUML emerged as the second-largest constituent of the UDF.Sunny Joseph, chief of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), has been assigned the Electricity, Environment and Parliamentary Affairs portfolios, while senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan will oversee seven departments, including Health, Devaswoms, Food Safety and Medical Education.Among other ministers, Roji M John will handle Higher Education, AP Anil Kumar has been given Land and Revenue, and N Shamsudheen will serve as General Education Minister, the statement said.Shibu Baby John of the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) has been allocated Forests and Wildlife Protection as well as Skill Development, while Mons Joseph will head the Irrigation, Ground Water, Water Supply and Sanitation, and Housing departments.(With PTI inputs)