VD Satheesan Sworn In as Kerala Chief Minister With Full 20-Member Cabinet
- By Thetripurapost Desk, Thiruvananthapuram
- May 18, 2026
- 448
Congress leader V. D. Satheesan on Monday took oath as the 13th Chief Minister of Kerala. Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office to Satheesan along with the entire 20-member Kerala cabinet.
The swearing-in ceremony marked a historic political moment in Kerala after 64 years, as a Congress Chief Minister took oath along with a full cabinet for the first time since 1962.
Previously, former Congress Chief Minister R. Shankar had taken oath with a full cabinet in 1962, but his government collapsed in 1964 following a no-confidence motion in the Kerala Assembly.
Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Attend Kerala CM Swearing-In Ceremony
Senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra attended the grand oath-taking ceremony in Kerala.
Former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar and chief ministers from Congress-ruled states were also present at the event.
Fourteen First-Time Ministers Included in Kerala Cabinet
A total of 14 MLAs were sworn in as ministers for the first time in the new Kerala cabinet led by VD Satheesan.
The first-time ministers include CP John, N Shamsuddin, KM Shaji, PK Basheer, VE Abdul Gafoor, PC Vishnunath, Rosy M John, Bindu Krishna, T Siddique, KA Thulasi and OJ Janish.
Congress Retains Speaker and Deputy Speaker Posts in Kerala Assembly
The Congress party also retained the key constitutional posts of Speaker and Deputy Speaker in the Kerala Assembly.
Senior Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan was appointed as the new Speaker, while Shanimol Usman was named Deputy Speaker.
The Kerala Legislative Assembly is scheduled to elect the Speaker officially on May 22 following the swearing-in of newly elected MLAs.
Governor Arlekar’s policy address to the Kerala Assembly will take place on May 29, while the new Kerala Budget is expected to be presented by June 5.