Kharge Hails Huge Mandate Ahead of VD Satheesan’s Swearing-in as Kerala CM

Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge

VD Satheesan is set to take oath as the Chief Minister of Kerala at 10 am today, along with his full Council of Ministers

Ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of Kerala Chief Minister-designate VD Satheesan, Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday termed the Congress-led alliance’s victory in the state as “unprecedented” and expressed happiness over the mandate received.

Speaking to reporters, Kharge said, “VD Satheesan is taking oath today, along with other cabinet ministers. It is an unprecedented victory. We are happy because it was such a huge mandate.”

Earlier, the Congress National President left from his residence in Bengaluru to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the VD Satheesan-led Kerala government. VD Satheesan is set to take oath as the Chief Minister of Kerala at 10 am today, along with his full Council of Ministers.

The swearing-in ceremony will be held at the Central Stadium in the state capital after the formal announcement of the complete Cabinet list.

Earlier on Sunday May 17 , 2026 , Satheesan met Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at Lok Bhavan and submitted the list of ministers to be sworn in along with him. Addressing a press conference, Satheesan said the full Cabinet would take oath together with the Chief Minister after nearly six decades.

“The swearing-in ceremony will take place tomorrow at 10 am. Along with the Chief Minister, the full Cabinet will take the oath together after nearly six decades.

The Indian Union Muslim League has already announced its nominees. Among the 63 Congress MLAs, there are many deserving leaders. Several deserving leaders have also been left out and remain outside the Cabinet. There is sadness and difficulty in that. Various limitations, criteria and social realities led to such decisions,” Satheesan said.

Satheesan also noted that the Cabinet composition was shaped by coalition and social considerations.

“We have 63 MLAs, some are more eligible than others, but unfortunately, we have to consider the social and regional balance and the representation of women and Dalit representation. We are not able to include all the eligible persons in the Cabinet. We have included two members from the SC, and women’s representation has been ensured,” he said.

The 20-member Cabinet announced by Satheesan includes senior leaders such as Ramesh Chennithala, K Muraleedharan, KPCC Chief Sunny Joseph, along with IUML leaders PK Kunhalikutty, PK Basheer, N Samsudheen, KM Shaji, VE Abdul Gafoor, Mons Joseph, Shibu Baby John, Anoop Jacob, CP John, AP Anil Kumar, T Siddique, PC Vishnunath, Roji M John, Bindu Krishna, M Liju, KA Thulasi and O J Janeesh.

The UDF secured a historic and decisive victory in the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections, bringing an end to the decade-long rule of the LDF. Led by the Indian National Congress, which won 63 seats, the coalition achieved a landslide majority by capturing a total of 102 seats in the 140-member Assembly. The IUML won 22 seats, while the LDF won 35 seats, and the Bharatiya Janata Party managed to win three constituencies.

( Source : ANI )