Kadannappally Ramachandran and K.B. Ganesh Kumar were sworn in as Ministers in the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala on December 29 (Friday).
Governor Arif Mohammed Khan administered the oaths of office and secrecy at a specially-arranged venue at Raj Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram in the evening. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the members of his Cabinet, Assembly Speaker A.N. Shamseer and LDF convener E. P. Jayarajan were among those present.
Mr. Ganesh Kumar took the oath in the name of God, while Mr. Ramachandran solemnly affirmed his faith and allegiance to the Constitution.
Mr. Ramachandran, who represents the Congress (S), and Mr. Ganesh Kumar of the Kerala Congress (B) replace Ahammad Devarkovil and Antony Raju, respectively, as part of an internal arrangement in the LDF. On completion of two-and-a-half years in the Cabinet, Mr. Devarkovil and Mr. Raju had tendered their resignations recently.
Mr. Ramachandran, who represents the Congress (S), and Mr. Ganesh Kumar of the Kerala Congress (B) replace Ahammad Devarkovil and Antony Raju respectively as part of an internal arrangement in the LDF. On completion of two-and-a-half years in the Cabinet, Mr. Devarkovil and Mr. Raju had tendered their resignations recently.
Mr. Ramachandran’s portfolios include Registration, Museums, Archaeology and Archives. Mr. Ganesh Kumar will handle Road Transport, Motor Vehicles and Water Transport. Formal orders in this regard are awaited.
The Ports portfolio held by Mr. Devarkoil has been given to CPI(M)’s V. N. Vasavan and Registration, earlier under Mr. Vasavan, has been allotted to Mr. Ramachandran. Mr. Ganesh Kumar has succeeded Mr. Raju as Transport Minister. Although the Kerala Congress (B) had requested the Cinema portfolio also for Mr. Ganesh Kumar, a well-known film actor who had held the portfolio in an earlier stint as Minister, the CPI(M) has not relented.
Mr. Ganesh Kumar, 57, represents the Pathanapuram constituency in the Assembly and he is the son of former Minister R. Balakrishna Pillai. He had two earlier stints as Minister: Mr. Ganesh Kumar was Minister for Transport from May 17, 2001 to March 10, 2003 and Minister for Forests, Sports and Cinema from May 18, 2011 to April 2, 2013.
Mr. Ramachandran represents the Kannur constituency. Born on July 1, 1944, he was Minister for Devaswoms, Printing and Stationery from August 17, 2009 to May 14, 2011 and Minister for Ports, Museums and Archaeology in the previous LDF government from May 25, 2016 to May 3, 2021.
