Kerala CM Swearing-In LIVE: VD Satheesan Takes Oath With 20-Member Cabinet

Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday described the swearing-in ceremony of the new Keralam government led by Chief Minister V D Satheesan as a significant occasion, calling it a "big day" for the state. Addressing reporters on the sidelines of the ceremony, Baghel said the formation of the government after a decade was an important political development.

"The government has formed here after 10 years, so it is definitely a big day... Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi's presence here will increase the happiness," Baghel told reporters. Marking a historic political shift in the state, Congress leader Satheesan was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Keralam today, ushering in a Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) back to power after a ten-year hiatus, following their landslide victory in the 2026 Assembly elections.

Keralam Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office to Satheesan and his 20-member Cabinet. The ceremony saw a massive turnout of top political heavyweights, signalling the national significance of the UDF's victory. The event was attended by: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, MP Priyanka Gandhi, and General Secretary KC Venugopal.

Alongside Satheesan, a 20-member Cabinet also took the oath. Satheesan noted that government formation was completed in under 24 hours, the fastest in Kerala's history, while carefully managing regional and social demographics. "We have discussed with the coalition partners... and within 24 hours, we have completed the entire process," Satheesan said. "We have to consider the social and regional balance and the representation of women and Dalit representation... We have included two members from the SC, and women's representation has been ensured."

Satheesan had announced that senior Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan will serve as Speaker of the Assembly, while Shanimol Usman will be the Deputy Speaker. MLA Apu John Joseph has been appointed as the Government Chief Whip. The swearing-in ceremony comes after the UDF secured a decisive mandate in the 2026 Keralam Assembly elections, ending the Left Democratic Front's (LDF) 10-year rule in the state.

Satheesan won the 2026 Assembly election from the Paravur constituency, securing his sixth consecutive term as an MLA. Satheesan secured 78,658 votes and defeated CPI candidate ET Taison Master by a margin of 20,600 votes. He has represented the Paravur constituency for 25 years, having first won the seat in 2001.

The UDF registered a landslide victory in the 2026 Assembly elections, winning 102 seats in the 140-member House. The Congress emerged as the single-largest party with 63 seats, while the IUML won 22 seats. The LDF was reduced to 35 seats, while the BJP won three constituencies. 

The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) ministers in the cabinet are PK Kunhalikutty, PK Basheer, N Samsudheen, KM Shaji and VE Abdul Gafoo

Here is the full list of ministers who took oath after VD Satheesan today:

VD Satheesan
Ramesh Chennithala
PK Kunhalikutty
Sunny Joseph
K Muraleedharan
Mons Joseph
Shibu Baby John
Anoop Jacob
CP John
AP Anil Kumar
N Samsudheen
PC Vishnunath
Roji M John
Bindu Krishna
M Liju
KM Shaji
PK Basheer
VE Abdul Gafoor
T Siddique
KA Thulasi
OJ Janeesh

Sunny Joseph, Ramesh Chennithala, K Muraleedharan and Mons Joseph were among those sworn in as ministers in VD Satheesan's cabinet.

Ramesh Chennithala Takes Oath As Kerala Minister

KPCC President Sunny Joseph took the oath of office as a Cabinet Minister in the newly formed Kerala United Democratic Front (UDF) government on May 18, 2026. He was sworn in alongside Chief Minister-designate V.D. Satheesan and other council members at a ceremony held at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.

VD Satheesan greets party president Mallikarjun Kharge and other leaders present on the stage after taking oath as Chief Minister of Keralam.

VD Satheesan hugged Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after taking oath as the new Chief Minister of Kerala.

VD Satheesan took oath as the Keralam CM, along with his 20-member Cabinet, after the UDF returned to power in the state after a decade. WATCH:

Chief Minister-designate VD Satheesan is set to take oath as the Chief Minister of Keralam shortly at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, along with his full Council of Ministers, marking the return of the United Democratic Front (UDF) to power after a decade.

The 20-member Cabinet that will take oath along with Satheesan includes senior Congress leaders Ramesh Chennithala, K Muraleedharan and KPCC chief Sunny Joseph, along with Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leaders PK Kunhalikutty, PK Basheer, N Samsudheen, KM Shaji and VE Abdul Gafoor.

Other ministers in the Cabinet are 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.

Satheesan also announced that senior Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan will serve as Speaker of the Assembly, while Shanimol Usman will be the Deputy Speaker. MLA Apu John Joseph has been appointed as the Government Chief Whip.

The swearing-in ceremony comes after the UDF secured a decisive mandate in the 2026 Keralam Assembly elections, ending the Left Democratic Front's (LDF) 10-year rule in the state.
 

Congress MP KC Venugopal on Monday arrived at the airport in Thiruvananthapuram to welcome dignitaries arriving for the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister-designate VD Satheesan, as the United Democratic Front (UDF) prepared to assume power in Keralam after a decade.

Speaking briefly to ANI, Venugopal said, “Everything is alright.”

Several senior Congress leaders and Chief Ministers from Congress-ruled states are expected to attend the oath-taking ceremony scheduled to be held at 10 am at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy also arrived in Thiruvananthapuram to attend the swearing-in ceremony.

Congress MP K Suresh said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and the Chief Ministers of Karnataka and Telangana would attend the swearing-in ceremony. He added that important decisions would be taken after the Cabinet meeting.

(Inputs From ANI)

"The government has formed here after 10 years, so it is defnitiely a big day... Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi's presence here will increase the happiness..." Congress leader and former CM Bhupesh Baghel said on the swearing-in ceremony of the Keralam government led by Chief Minister-designate VD Satheesan.

Along with VD Satheesan, his 20-member Council of Ministers has also been sworn in, marking the first time in nearly six decades that an entire Kerala Cabinet has taken oath together on the same day.

Chief Minister-designate VD Satheesan and Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala at the Central Stadium, where the swearing-in ceremony of the Keralam government will take place shortly in Thiruvananthapuram.

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala to take oath as Keralam Minister in the VD Satheesan-led cabinet today. 

He says, "Today is an auspicious day for the people of Kerala  because after 10 years the UDF is coming to power... It is our bounden duty to give a good governance to the people of Kerala. The new government is going to be sworn in today... I am  going to take up the home portfolio... The duty of the Home Minister is to maintain law and order situation in the state. We will try to give  better administration and better law and order situation in the state of Kerala... Our leader Rahul Gandhi has announced five guarantees. We are going to implement the five guarantees..."

Chief Minister-designate VD Satheesan arrives at the airport to welcome the dignitaries who are arriving today to attend his swearing-in ceremony. Chief Ministers from Congress-ruled states and several other leaders are expected to arrive in the city today to attend the swearing-in ceremony.

Congress MP KC Venugopal arrives at the airport to welcome the dignitaries who are arriving today to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister-designate VD Satheesan.

He says, "Everything is alright."

Congress MP K Suresh says, "Today we are celebrating our victory in Keralam. VD Satheesan-led government is taking oath at 10 AM. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, CM of Karnataka and Telangana will be coming to attend the ceremony. The people of Keralam are here... Very important decisions will be taken after the cabinet meeting following the swearing-in ceremony..."

 On the swearing-in ceremony of the Keralam government, Congress MP Shafi Parambil says, "This is a big day for the Congress party and the UDF allies. It is also a big day for the people of the state. We will fulfil all the promises we have made to our people."

Ahead of the swearing-in ceremony today, Senior bishops of the Jacobite Church met Chief Minister-designate VD Satheesan and extended their greetings.

People arrive at the Central stadium to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the Keralam government led by Chief Minister-designate VD Satheesan.

Chief Minister-designate VD Satheesan leaves from his residence. VD Satheesan will take the oath today, along with 20 cabinet ministers, at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra leaves for Keralam to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new Keralam government today.

Supporters of Keralam CM designate VD Satheesan gather outside his residence ahead of his oath-taking ceremony to be held today.

Security has been heightened at the airport, as Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled states and several other leaders are expected to arrive in the city today to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the Keralam government led by Chief Minister-designate VD Satheesan.

Congress MLA Roji M John thanked the party leadership for entrusting him with the responsibility and said the government would strive to meet public expectations. 

"People of Kerala have given us a huge mandate, and they have a lot of expectations from this government. We will definitely try our best to fulfil all the promises that we have made," he said.

The IUML confirmed that it will have five ministers in the new Cabinet, including PK Kunhalikutty, PK Basheer, N Samsudheen, KM Shaji and VE Abdul Gafoor. The party also announced that Kuttiadi MLA Parakkal Abdulla would be inducted into the Cabinet after two-and-a-half years as part of an internal arrangement.

The elections for the 140-member Kerala Assembly took place on April 9, with the results announced on May 4. The Congress-led UDF achieved a landslide victory by securing 102 seats—with the Congress winning 63, the Muslim League taking 22, and its allies capturing the remainder. Meanwhile, the LDF won 35 seats, and the BJP claimed 3.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay will not be attending the swearing-in ceremony of Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan, according to sources. Insiders suggest that administrative commitments and security considerations surrounding his planned travel are among the likely reasons for his decision to skip the event.

Senior leader Ramesh Chennithala, who was also in the race for the Chief Minister's post, is likely to be allotted the Home Ministry along with the Vigilance portfolio, according to reports.

Full Cabinet to be sworn in today

Here is the full list of Kerala ministers:

1. VD Satheesan
2. Ramesh Chennithala
3. PK Kunhalikutty
4. Sunny Joseph
5. K Muraleedharan
6. Mons Joseph
7. Shibu Baby John
8. Anoop Jacob
9. CP John
10. AP Anil Kumar
11. N Samsudheen
12. PC Vishnunath
13. Roji M John
14. Bindu Krishna
15. M Liju
16. KM Shaji
17. PK Basheer
18. VE Abdul Gafoor
19. T Siddique
20. KA Thulasi
21. OJ Janeesh

Scheduled for 10 am in Thiruvananthapuram, the swearing-in ceremony of VD Satheesan as the Chief Minister of Kerala will be attended by several senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge.

After ten years out of power, the UDF is poised to form Kerala's next government, with Congress leader VD Satheesan assuming the role of Chief Minister. Satheesan and his entire 20-member Cabinet will take their oaths of office at a ceremony hosted at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.