Full list of Kerala ministers (with images and portfolios)
THE Kerala government on Tuesday announced the allocation of portfolios in the new cabinet, with chief minister VD Satheesan retaining charge of 35 departments, including Finance, Law, General Administration and Ports, according to a notification issued by Kerala Lok Bhavan.
The chief minister will also oversee several key administrative and policy-related departments, consolidating significant decision-making powers within the chief minister’s office.
Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has been entrusted with the crucial Home and Vigilance portfolios. He will also handle three other departments in the new cabinet, the Kerala Lok Bhavan said.
The portfolio allocation comes days after the swearing-in of the new government in the state. More details on the distribution of remaining departments among cabinet ministers are expected to be released soon.
The UDF's return follows a decisive mandate in the April 9 Assembly elections, where the alliance won 102 seats in the 140-member House, handing a clear defeat to the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front, which had governed the state for two consecutive terms under Pinarayi Vijayan.
How Satheesan became CM
A six-time MLA, Satheesan was selected by the Congress high command after ten days of deliberations in which senior leaders KC Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala were also considered. The party ultimately went with Satheesan, the man who led the UDF's campaign and delivered the majority that made Monday possible.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Satheesan described the occasion as historic. "After 60 years, the entire UDF cabinet is set to take the oath tomorrow at 10 AM. We have completed the entire process within 24 hours, a feat unprecedented in the history of Kerala. This was possible because, even after the elections, Team UDF remains Team UDF. The leaders respect each other," he said.
Full UDF Cabinet list
Of the 20 ministers taking oath alongside Satheesan, 14 are first-timers, a deliberate signal of generational change. The ministry ensures representation for alliance partners and diverse communities, including women and Scheduled Caste leaders.
Congress (11 ministers)
VD Satheesan - Chief Minister; Finance, National Savings, Stores Purchase, Commercial Taxes, Agricultural Income Tax, Treasuries, Lotteries, State Audit, Kerala State Financial Enterprises, State Insurance, Kerala Financial Corporation, Stamps and Stamp Duties, Ports, Law, Planning and Economic Affairs, General Administration, All India Services, Science and Technology, Disaster Management, Non-Resident Keralites Affairs, Pollution Control, Scientific Institutes, Personnel and Administrative Reforms, Election, Integration, Sainik Welfare, Distress Relief, State Hospitality, Administration of Civil and Criminal Justice, Airports, Metro Rail, Inter-State River Waters, Coastal Shipping and Inland Navigation, Kerala State Inland Navigation Corporation, Information and Public Relations, Printing and Stationery, Railways, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS), Posts and Telegraphs.
Ramesh Chennithala - Home, Vigilance, Fire and Rescue Services, Prisons and Coir.
K Muraleedharan - Health, Medical Education, Medical University, Indigenous Medicine, Ayush, Drugs Control, Food Safety and Devaswoms.
Sunny Joseph - Electricity, Environment, Parliamentary Affairs and ANERT.
Bindhu Krishna - Labour, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development, Milk Co-operatives, Woman & Child Development and Kerala Veterinary & Animal Sciences University.
AP Anil Kumar - Land Revenue, Survey and Land Records and Land Reforms.
PC Vishnunadh - Tourism, Culture, Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC), Kerala Chalachithra Academy and Kerala Cultural Activist Welfare Fund Board.
M Liju - Co-operation and Excise.
Roji M John - Collegiate Education, Technical Education, Universities (Except Agricultural, Veterinary, Fisheries, Medical and Digital Universities), Entrance Examination, National Cadet Corps and Additional Skill Acquisition Programme (ASAP) Kerala.
T Siddique - Agriculture, Soil Survey & Soil Conservation, Kerala Agricultural University and Warehousing Corporation.
OJ Janeesh - Sports, Youth Affairs, Zoos, Museum, Registration, Archaeology and Archives.
KA Thulasi - Development of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes.
IUML (5 ministers)
PK Kunhalikutty - Industries & Commerce, Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Start ups, Mining and Geology, and Handlooms & Textiles.
PK Basheer - Public Works Department.
N Shamsudeen - General Education, Literacy Movement, Wakf and Haj Pilgrimage, and Minority Welfare.
KM Shaji - Panchayat, Municipality, Corporation, Town Planning, Rural development, and Regional Development Authorities KILA.
VE Abdul Gafoor - Fisheries, Harbour Engineering and Social Justice.
Alliance partners (4 ministers)
Mons Joseph: Kerala Congress - Irrigation, Command Area Development Authority (CADA), Ground Water Department, and Water Supply & Sanitation Housing.
Shibu Baby John: RSP - Forests & Wild Life Protection, Skill Development, and Kerala Academy for Skills Excellence (KASE).
Anoop Jacob: Kerala Congress (Jacob) - Food & Civil Supplies Consumer Affairs, and Legal Metrology.
CP John: CMP - Road Transport, Motor Vehicles, and Water Transport.
Assembly leadership
Senior legislator Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan has been appointed Speaker of the Assembly, with Shanimol Usman serving as Deputy Speaker.
