Pinarayi Vijayan takes oath as Kerala CM, promises 'people's government'

Achuthanandan to ‘sentinel of the people’

Achuthanandan had stated that he will continue to be the sentinel of the people. “I wish Vijayan and his new government the best to build a new and resurgent Kerala,” Achuthanandan had said.

Mathew T Thomas takes oath

Mathew T Thomas of the Janata Dal (Secular) is likely to hold the irrigation and water resources portfolio.

E Chandrasekharan takes oath

Top CPM leaders including E Chandrasekharan take oath after Pinarayi Vijayan.

Vijayan takes oath

Thiruvananthapuram: LDF's Pinarayi Vijayan takes oath as the CM of Kerala pic.twitter.com/RT7Kd7RK0c

— ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2016

Vijayan to hold Home portfolio

Pinarayi Vijayan is likely hold the Home, Vigilance and IT portfolios. As a measure of austerity, the Left government will be reducing the strength of the ministry from 21 to 19.

19 members in the Cabinet

The Vijayan Cabinet will have 19 members (including the chief minister) and the CPM will have 12 berths, the CPI four and three other LDF constituents – the JD(S), the NCP and the Congress (S) would get one each.

CPM bigwigs at the event

The CPM General Secretary, Sitaram Yechury and politburo member, Prakash Karat, will attend the swearing-in ceremony. Vijayan’s rival VS Achuthanandan will also the attend the event. Some reports say Malayalam superstar Mammootty will be present at the event.

Stage set for Vijayan

Pinarayi Vijayan will be sworn-in as the chief minister of Kerala, along with his team of 18 cabinet ministers. Elaborate arrangements has been made for the ceremony at the Central stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.