Kerala Cabinet Reshuffle: KB Ganesh Kumar and Kadanapally Ramachandran to take oath

Kochin: The swearing-in ceremony of Minister-designate KB Ganesh Kumar and Kadanapalli Ramachandran will be held today (December 29) in Raj Bhavan premises. The reshuffle was decided based on a pact formed during the cabinet nomination of Devarkovil where it was decided that Devarkovil and Raju were to serve the first 2.5 years in the ministry and Ganesh and Ramachandran in the second half.

Amidst tension between Kerala Governor Arif Muhammed Khan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the event gains significance. The Left Front anticipates Kumar overseeing the transport department and Ramachandran handling the port department. Kumar, a renowned actor, seeks control of the film department.

Kumar, previously a cabinet minister under the Congress-led UDF government, joined the Left Front, emphasizing the need to reduce personnel and forgoing an official residence. Following the resignations of Ahmed Devarkovil and Antony Raju, the new ministers assume their roles.

The Left Front had already stated that there would be a reorganization of the Cabinet after the Kerala Assembly. It was already agreed that the constituent parties who did not get a chance in the first phase of the second Pinarayi government would be given representation in the cabinet after two and a half years. After submitting their resignations, Ahmed Devarkovil and Antony Raju will move out for the new ministers. 

Criticism and troll for minister quitting after Nava Kerala Sadas

Social media was filled with wide criticism about the futility of the Nava Kerala Sadas campaign. Ministers who received scores of complaints from 140 constituencies, quit their posts immediately after the collection of complaints from citizens. As per reports the total complaints and petitions received by the government pegs at 6 lakhs. Raju, a few days ago told the media that he was ready to quit before the the commencement of the Nava Kerala Sadas campaign. " Chief Minister urged me to be in the yatra till it concluded," he stated. 

Chief Secretary V Venu will not attend the oath-taking ceremony as there is a meeting of Chief Secretaries called by the Prime Minister. Instead, Additional Chief Secretary Sharada Muralidharan will participate.

Responding to the confusion over the demand by Ganesh Kumar, EP Jayarajan told the media in Thiruvananthapuram that the party will take a unanimous decision about these matters and there is no internal rift between cabinet for any of these issues. 

"The left front has given space for everyone to demand and wish for anything. Wishes are Tax-free!," he said with a hint of sarcasm, before entering AKG Bhavan for the CPIM state secretariat meeting. 

EVALUATION OF NAVA KERALA SADAS

 The assessment of the party leadership is that the Navakerala Sadas is a huge success. The CPM Secretariat will direct the government to speed up the process of redressal of grievances. Meanwhile, the protest against the SFI governor is continuing in the state. The SFI showed the black flag near the General Hospital to the Governor who returned from Delhi to Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday. Following this, four SFI workers were taken into police custody and released.