Celebrations erupt in Kerala as Pinarayi Vijayan takes charge

Thiruvananthapuram: As Pinarayi Vijayan took oath as Kerala’s 12th chief minister on Wednesday, celebrations erupted across the state, especially in the northern Kannur district, considered a Marxist stronghold. Jubilant CPM workers raised ‘Lal Salam’ slogans carrying red flags and beat drums expressing their joy as the LDF government took charge after the swearing-in ceremony. Pinarayi Vijayan was given a rousing welcome at the Secretariat as he arrived to attend his first cabinet meeting shortly after the swearing-in ceremony at the Central Stadium. Vijayan’s wife Kamala, their son and daughter were among those who attended the ceremony. [caption id=“attachment_2799086” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File photo of Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan with party leaders. PTI.[/caption] The capital city looked a sea of red with red flags and red buntings dotting the landscape. Party workers from various parts of the state have converged here to see Pinarayi Vijayan’s swearing-in. Since this morning, it was an air of festivity in various parts of Kannur district, including Pinarayi, from where Vijayan hails, as party workers distributed sweets and payasam. Besides Vijayan, EP Jayarajan, KK Shylaja, and Ramachandran Kadannapalli hail from Kannur district. The two northern districts of Kannur and Kasaragod had witnessed violence with CPM-BJP workers clashing as soon as the results of the 16 May Assembly polls were out. Prohibitory orders are still in force in Kasaragod district’s, Manjeshwaram, Kasaragod and Hosgurg areas.