V.D. Satheesan sworn in as Kerala CM, UDF ends 10-year CPI(M) rule
Synopsis
Fifteen years after Congress last held power in Kerala, V.D. Satheesan took oath as the state's 13th Chief Minister on Monday — backed by a 102-seat UDF majority and Congress's own record 63-seat haul. With 14 first-time ministers and national leadership in attendance, this is the most significant Congress state-level comeback in years.
Key Takeaways
Satheesan was sworn in as Kerala's 13th Chief Minister on Monday, 19 May 2025 at the Central Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram .
The UDF won 102 of 140 Assembly seats ; Congress alone secured a record 63 seats .
The new Cabinet has 21 members , including 14 first-time ministers ; Congress holds 12 berths .
IUML gets 5 Cabinet positions ; Kerala Congress, Kerala Congress (Jacob), CMP, and RSP get one each.
Rahul Gandhi , Priyanka Gandhi Vadra , and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge attended the ceremony.
The swearing-in ends 10 years of CPI(M) rule under Pinarayi Vijayan .
V.D. Satheesan was sworn in as Kerala's 13th Chief Minister on Monday, 19 May 2025, at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, ending a decade of CPI(M) governance under Pinarayi Vijayan and returning the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) to power for the first time in 15 years. Governor Rajendra V. Arlekar administered the oath of office to Satheesan and a 21-member Cabinet at 10 am IST, in a ceremony attended by top national leaders and thousands of party workers.
A Historic Electoral Comeback
The UDF's return to power follows a commanding electoral performance — the alliance secured 102 seats in the 140-member Kerala Legislative Assembly, with the Indian National Congress (Congress) alone winning 63 seats, its best-ever tally in the state. The result formally ends the tenure of CPI(M) veteran Pinarayi Vijayan, who had governed Kerala since 2016. This is the first Congress-led government in the state since the tenure of late former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.
Cabinet Composition and Key Appointments
A total of 20 ministers representing various UDF allies were sworn in alongside Satheesan. For the first time, the Congress has secured 12 Cabinet berths. State Congress president Sunny Joseph, aged 73, becomes the Cabinet's senior-most member, while Youth Congress leader O.K. Janeesh, aged 37, is its youngest. The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) receives five Cabinet positions, while Kerala Congress, Kerala Congress (Jacob), CMP, and RSP get one berth each. Notably, 14 of the 21 ministers are first-time members of the Cabinet, lending the new government a distinctly fresh character.
Women in the New Cabinet
Among the new ministers are two women making their Cabinet debut — K.A. Thulasi, wife of Congress MP V.K. Sreekandan, and Bindu Krishna. Their inclusion reflects a conscious effort by the UDF to bring new faces into the executive fold.
National Leaders and Political Symbolism
The swearing-in drew top national Congress leadership, with Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Congress president Mallikarjuna Kharge attending in person. Chief Ministers from Congress-governed Karnataka, Telangana, and Himachal Pradesh were also present, underscoring the national significance the party has attached to the Kerala result. In a moment symbolic of Kerala's democratic tradition, outgoing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan attended the ceremony, as did State BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, a newly elected legislator. Roads leading to the Central Stadium were lined with Congress workers in white khadar, with vehicles streaming in from across the state.
What Comes Next
With a strong legislative majority and a Cabinet weighted toward first-timers, the Satheesan government faces early expectations on governance, welfare delivery, and economic management — areas where the outgoing CPI(M) administration had built a distinct record. How quickly the new Cabinet moves on policy priorities will set the tone for this political era in Kerala.
Point of View
Its best ever in Kerala, suggests the party's Kerala unit has done what its national counterpart has struggled to replicate: build a coalition that holds. The real test begins now. A Cabinet of 14 first-timers signals ambition, but thin administrative experience at the top could slow early governance. Satheesan must also manage the expectations of a national leadership that has invested heavily in this win as proof of Congress's revival story.
NationPress
2 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is V.D. Satheesan and why is he significant?
V.D. Satheesan is a senior Congress leader who served as Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly before being sworn in as Kerala's 13th Chief Minister on 19 May 2025. His elevation marks the return of a Congress-led UDF government to Kerala after 15 years, ending a decade of CPI(M) rule under Pinarayi Vijayan.
How many seats did the UDF win in the Kerala Assembly elections?
The Congress-led UDF won 102 seats in the 140-member Kerala Legislative Assembly. Congress alone secured 63 seats — its best-ever tally in the state.
Who are the key members of the new Kerala Cabinet?
The Cabinet has 21 members, with Congress holding 12 berths. State Congress president Sunny Joseph, 73, is the senior-most minister, while Youth Congress leader O.K. Janeesh, 37, is the youngest. IUML gets five positions; Kerala Congress, Kerala Congress (Jacob), CMP, and RSP each get one.
Which national leaders attended the Kerala swearing-in ceremony?
Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge attended the ceremony in Thiruvananthapuram. Chief Ministers of Congress-governed Karnataka, Telangana, and Himachal Pradesh were also present.
When did Congress last hold power in Kerala?
Congress last governed Kerala under late former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, whose tenure ended 15 years before the current swearing-in. The intervening period saw CPI(M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan hold power since 2016.
