Ramesh Chennithala Secures Home Minister Post as UDF Returns to Power in Kerala

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala announced that he would take charge of the Home portfolio in the new Kerala government ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister-designate V D Satheesan. The announcement came as the United Democratic Front prepared to return to power in the state after a decade, following its sweeping victory in the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections.

Satheesan is scheduled to take an oath as Kerala’s chief minister at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram along with his full Council of Ministers. The formation of the new government marks the end of the Left Democratic Front administration’s 10-year tenure in the state. Chennithala said the people of Kerala had rejected the previous government and stressed that the incoming administration’s focus would be on delivering efficient governance and improved law and order.

Speaking ahead of the ceremony, Chennithala said maintaining public safety and strengthening administration would be among his key responsibilities as home minister. He also stated that the new government intended to implement the five guarantees promised by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during the election campaign. Describing the transition of power as an “auspicious day” for Kerala, Chennithala said the UDF was committed to restoring public confidence through better governance and administrative reforms.

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The announcement followed days of intense discussions within Congress regarding the leadership structure of the new government. Several senior leaders, including K. C. Venugopal, were considered contenders for the chief minister’s post before Satheesan ultimately emerged as the consensus choice. Satheesan, who had not previously served as a minister, reportedly edged past both Venugopal and Chennithala during the final round of consultations within the party leadership.

The 20-member cabinet includes senior Congress leaders such as K. Muraleedharan and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sunny Joseph, along with representatives from coalition partners including the Indian Union Muslim League. Other key appointments announced by Satheesan include Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan as Speaker of the Assembly, Shanimol Usman as Deputy Speaker, and Apu John Joseph as Government Chief Whip.

The UDF secured a commanding mandate in the 140-member Kerala Assembly by winning 102 seats, comfortably surpassing the majority mark. The Congress emerged as the single-largest party with 63 seats, while the IUML secured 22 constituencies. The LDF was reduced to 35 seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party managed victories in three constituencies. The decisive result is being viewed as one of the most significant political shifts in Kerala in recent years.

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