Kerala CM Oath Ceremony Live Highlights: Satheesan takes oath as Kerala CM with 20-member cabinet; Rahul, Priyanka present

V D Satheesan on Monday took oath as Kerala's chief minister, with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administering the oath of office to the Congress Legislative Party leader.

Besides Satheesan, members of his 20-member Cabinet are also taking oath at a grand function being held here.

The 20-member Cabinet includes senior Congress leaders Ramesh Chennithala, K Muraleedharan, A P Anil Kumar and KPCC chief Sunny Joseph. Senior IUML leader P K Kunhalikutty, RSP leader Shibu Baby John, Kerala Congress leader Mons Joseph, Kerala Congress (Jacob) leader Anoop Jacob, and CMP leader C P John also took oath.

There are 14 new faces in the Cabinet, including Chief Minister Satheesan, who is holding a government position for the first time despite being elected from Paravur since 2001.

The Cabinet includes two women and two members from the Scheduled Caste community.

CMP leader John and IUML leaders N Shamsuddin, K M Shaji, P K Basheer and V E Abdul Gafoor are also among the new faces in the Cabinet.

Congress leaders P C Vishnunadh, Roji M John, Bindu Krishna, T Siddique, K A Thulasi and O J Janeesh are also among the first-time ministers.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, among others, attended the swearing-in ceremony.

Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled states, former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Left leaders, and BJP representatives also attended the ceremony.

As each Cabinet minister took oath, loud cheers rose from thousands of UDF workers and supporters present at the venue.

Thousands of Congress workers arrived in the state capital from across Kerala for the event.

The Assembly elections to the 140-member House were held on 9 April, with results declared on May 4. The Congress-led UDF won 102 seats, the LDF secured 35, and the BJP won three.

In a social media post on X, "Heartfelt congratulations to V D Satheesan Ji on taking the oath as chief minister of Kerala. I extend my best wishes for his tenure. To realise the aspirations of the people, the newly formed Kerala Government is assured of all possible support from the central government."

Senior Congress leader and former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday described the swearing-in ceremony of the new Keralam government led by Chief Minister V D Satheesan as a significant occasion, calling it a "big day" for the state.

Addressing reporters on the sidelines of the ceremony, Baghel said the formation of the government after a decade was an important political development.

"The government has formed here after 10 years, so it is definitely a big day... Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi's presence here will increase the happiness," Baghel told reporters.

Marking a historic political shift in the state, Congress leader Satheesan was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Keralam today ushering in a Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) back to power after a ten-year hiatus, following their landslide victory in the 2026 Assembly elections.

Keralam Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office to Satheesan and his 20-member Cabinet.

The ceremony saw a massive turnout of top political heavyweights, signalling the national significance of the UDF's victory. The event was attended by: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, MP Priyanka Gandhi, and General Secretary KC Venugopal.

Alongside Satheesan, a 20-member Cabinet also took the oath. Satheesan noted that government formation was completed in under 24 hours, the fastest in Kerala's history, while carefully managing regional and social demographics.

Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) MLA VE Abdul Gafoor on Monday said he was honoured to be inducted into the VD Satheesan-led Keralam Cabinet and assured that he would carry out whatever responsibility is assigned to him with full commitment.

Abdul Gafoor, who was elected to the Assembly for the first time, is among the ministers set to take oath at the swearing-in ceremony scheduled to be held at 10 am at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.

"I am really honoured to get this position. I have been elected to the Assembly for the first time. Whatever portfolio is given, we will do it with full commitment. We all will be working together to achieve the goal that we share," Abdul Gafoor told ANI ahead of the ceremony.

Another IUML MLA, N Samsudheen, who is also set to take oath as minister, said, "Today I am going to take a new charge. For the last 15 years, I was a member of the legislative Assembly. It is a new team."

Meanwhile, senior Congress leaders and dignitaries from across the country continued to arrive in Thiruvananthapuram to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister-designate VD Satheesan.

The Kerala capital turned into a sea of white as thousands of UDF workers and supporters from across the state gathered here on Monday for the oath taking ceremony of the Congress-led government which came back to power after a decade-long Left rule with a thumping victory in the assembly polls.

While the pavilion set up at the central stadium for the oath-taking was packed to capacity with UDF workers and supporters, wearing white khadi shirts and 'mundu', waving flags of the various alliance partners and shouting slogans in favour of the coalition.

The crowd, including children, were present at the venue, braving the humid weather.

Many others who could not get entry into the venue were seen gathering around the stadium in large numbers.

Many people told reporters that they have waited for 10 years to see their alliance back in power and asserted that it would be a great government.

"When a UDF government comes back to power after 10 years, it will energise every Congress worker," they said and shouted -- "team UDF and UDF zindabad".

They also danced to the beats of drums being played inside and outside the pavilion, celebrating the return of their alliance to power.

Since 8 am, party leaders, MLA elects and MPs were seen arriving at the venue one after the other.

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Monday said he would assume charge of the Home portfolio in the incoming VD Satheesan-led government and asserted that the new administration would fulfil the five guarantees announced by Rahul Gandhi during the Keralam Assembly election campaign.

Speaking ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of the new government in Thiruvananthapuram, Chennithala said the return of the United Democratic Front (UDF) to power after a decade marked an "auspicious day" for the people of the state.

"Today is an auspicious day for the people of Kerala because after 10 years, the UDF is coming to power... It is our bounden duty to give good governance to the people of Kerala. The new government is going to be sworn in today... I am going to take up the Home portfolio," Chennithala told the reporters.

He asserted that the new UDF administration would ensure better governance and law and order in Keralam.

"The duty of the Home Minister is to maintain the law and order situation in the state. We will try to give better administration and better law and order situation in the state of Kerala," Chennithala said.

Ahead of the Swearing- in ceremony of Keralam Chief Minister, Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday, termed the Congress-led alliance's victory in the state as "unprecedented" and expressed happiness over the mandate received.

Speaking to reporters, Kharge said, "VD Satheesan is taking oath today, along with other cabinet ministers. It is an unprecedented victory. We are happy because it was such a huge mandate."

Earlier, the Congress National President left from his residence in Bengaluru to attend the oath-taking ceremony of Chief Minister-designate VD Satheesan-led Keralam government.

VD Satheesan is set to take oath as the Chief Minister of Keralam at 10 am today, along with his full Council of Ministers. The swearing-in ceremony will be held at the Central Stadium in the state capital after the formal announcement of the complete Cabinet list.

Earlier on Sunday, Satheesan met Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at Lok Bhavan and submitted the list of ministers to be sworn in along with him.

Addressing a press conference, Satheesan said the full Cabinet would take oath together with the Chief Minister after nearly six decades.

"The swearing-in ceremony will take place tomorrow at 10 am. Along with the Chief Minister, the full Cabinet will take the oath together after nearly six decades. The Indian Union Muslim League has already announced its nominees. Among the 63 Congress MLAs, there are many deserving leaders. Several deserving leaders have also been left out and remain outside the Cabinet. There is sadness and difficulty in that. Various limitations, criteria and social realities led to such decisions," Satheesan said.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi will attend the swearing-in ceremony of Kerala chief minister-designate V D Satheesan in Thiruvananthapuram on May 18, sources said on Sunday.

The party sources said Wayanad MP and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will also attend the ceremony.

There was no confirmation on whether Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi would also attend.

Satheesan had earlier said the national leadership would invite leaders from other states for the ceremony.

All chief ministers of Congress-ruled states -- Karnataka, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh -- will also attend.

The party has also invited Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay, but a confirmation from him is awaited.

Satheesan will take oath along with his Cabinet at the ceremony, which will begin at 10 am at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, party leaders said.

The Congress-led UDF won 102 of the 140 assembly seats in the Kerala elections.

Ahead of the swearing-in scheduled to take place tomorrow, Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Sunday said that the "spectacular victory" of the people of Keralam must be respected, adding that the Congress-led UDF alliance is committed to providing stable and effective governance in the state.

Speaking to ANI here, Chennithala said the cabinet formation process has already been completed and the list has been submitted to the Governor of Keralam.

"The discussion is already completed. The Chief Minister, VD Satheesan, has already submitted the list to the Governor of Kerala... The Congress party has very senior people. We cannot accommodate everybody in the Cabinet. But we try to accommodate most of the people... The spectacular victory which has been given by the people of Kerala should be respected. We will give good governance to the people of Kerala..." he said.

Reaffirming the Congress-led alliance structure, Chennithala said the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) partnership with the Indian Union Muslim League remains intact and long-standing.

"The alliance with the Muslim League is not for today... for the last four decades, there has been an alliance with the Muslim League. That alliance is intact... Every party, worker and leader has a responsibility... We are all unitedly working for the people of Kerala to give a better administration than the last LDF government," he added.

Chennithala is expected to take oath as a cabinet minister in the incoming Chief Minister-designate VD Satheesan-led Keralam government on Monday.

Kerala chief minister-designate V D Satheesan on Sunday described himself as a “Nehruvian socialist” and said that reducing public inconvenience was a key reason behind his decision to maintain a smaller security convoy.

He made the remarks after announcing the names of 20 Cabinet ministers who will be sworn in along with him on Monday.

Responding to a question on avoiding a large CM’s convoy, Satheesan said he had asked the police to limit the escort, though certain security protocols could not be avoided.

“I want only a three-vehicle escort. Earlier, there used to be convoys of around 30 vehicles, including an ambulance. But I am not blaming any CM. It is part of the Z-plus security category provided to the chief minister, which is also monitored by the union government,” he said.

He said his perspective was shaped by the experience of the common man.

“If I think from the perspective of someone witnessing a convoy of 30 to 40 vehicles on the road, I would feel agitated. If I were made to wait for half an hour or an hour for such a convoy to pass, how would it feel? That is why I do not want a large convoy,” he said.

Satheesan added that his decision also came from imagining himself stuck on the road during an emergency because of VIP movement.

Ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of the new United Democratic Front (UDF) government under Kerala Chief Minister-designate VD Satheesan on Monday, ministers-designate from the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) expressed confidence in the incoming administration and said they were prepared to shoulder responsibilities in the new government.

The VD Satheesan-led ministry, which will formally assume office on Monday in Thiruvananthapuram, is expected to have a strong representation from the IUML, with five Ministers from the party set to become part of the state Cabinet.

The IUML leaders to be sworn in as Ministers include PK Kunhalikutty, N Samsudheen, KM Shaji, PK Basheer and VE Abdul Gafoor, underlining the party's significant role within the UDF-led coalition government.

Speaking to IANS, Minister-designate VE Abdul Gafoor said the broad direction and objectives of the new government had already been clearly laid out by Chief Minister-designate V.D. Satheesan and Ministers would work collectively towards implementing those goals.

The swearing-in ceremony of the new Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government, headed by Chief Minister-designate V.D. Satheesan, is scheduled to be held on Monday at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.

The event will formally mark the UDF's return to power in Kerala after a decade, following its decisive victory in the Assembly elections.

Several senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Mallikarjun Kharge, along with chief ministers from Congress-ruled states, are expected to attend the ceremony.

A day before his swearing-in as the 13th Chief Minister of Kerala, Satheesan on Sunday met eminent Cardinal Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis, also known as Cleemis Bava.

The Cardinal currently serves as the Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and the Major Archbishop of Trivandrum.