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The recently sworn-in Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government’s effort to finalise Kerala Cabinet portfolios appeared to tally into headwinds connected Tuesday (May 19, 2026).
The UDF had hinted connected Monday that it had reached a wide statement among assorted factions successful the Congress and important allies connected portfolio allocation. Notably, elder Congress person Ramesh Chennithala and K. Muraleedharan signalled that they would clasp the Home and Health portfolios, respectively.
However, the evident dawdling successful announcing the appointments successful the authorities gazette with law finality suggests that haggling implicit ministerial portfolios continued unabated successful the UDF.
On Tuesday, Mani C. Kappan, MLA-elect from Pala successful Kottayam territory successful cardinal Kerala, signalled to tv reporters that UDF allies, including his party, were getting restive implicit unresolved questions astir the allocation.
Term-sharing formula
He besides seemed to question the contentious term-sharing look prescribed for single-party MLAs, with immoderate “unusual” exceptions, notably that for Minister and Communist Marxist Party (CMP)’s azygous legislator C.P. John.
Somewhat ominously, Mr. Kappan attributed his non-inclusion successful the Cabinet, contempt being a three-term MLA who routed Kerala Congress (M) chairperson and Left Democratic Front (LDF) person Jose K. Mani, for the 2nd consecutive time, to objections “raised by a UDF ally”.
“I had met Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan connected Monday, on with Anoop Jacob of the Kerala Congress (Jacob), and said we were successful concurrence to stock a ministerial berth connected a two-and-a-half-year period, connected a sharing basis. Mr. Satheesan promised maine an honourable presumption till Mr. Jacob completes his term. However, determination has been nary further connection from the leadership”, helium added.
According to a UDF insider, the finalisation of portfolios appeared to beryllium “stuck” owed to the Latin Catholic Church’s insistence that the Congress support the Fisheries portfolio, tentatively promised to the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). He said the IUML has agreed to let the Congress to clasp the portfolio successful speech for the Higher Education department, which is presently promised to Roji M. John, a Congress Minister.
Notably, Mr. Satheesan had made a dash for the authoritative residence of the Thiruvananthapuram Archbishop, Thomas J. Netto, hours aft his swearing successful connected Monday, reportedly to placate the Latin Catholic Church leadership, which had taken beardown objection to the non-inclusion of a subordinate of the coastal assemblage successful the Cabinet.
Moreover, the UDF was facing unit from wrong its fertile and file, aggravated astir the alleged incongruity successful the determination allocation of seats, with immoderate districts lacking practice successful the Cabinet, portion different regions, similar Kollam, got 3 Ministers.
When contacted, the Chief Minister’s bureau said the authorities would soon denote “a statement decision.”
