Thiruvananthapuram: Pinarayi Vijayan sworn-in as Chief Minister of Kerala along with 20 ministers here today. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) veteran had led the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) to return to power in the April 6 Assembly election. In his ministry, except A K Saseendran and K Krishnankutty, all other ministers are fresh faces.
Governor Arif Mohammed Khan administered the oath of office and secrecy to Vijayan and the new ministers. at the Central Stadium at 3. 30 pm. Later Vijayan tweeted: “Together, let us realise a people’s alternative, and build a Nava Keralam!”
The second consecutive term for Vijayan means altering altering the four-decades-long electoral tradition in Kerala where there was alternative shift of power between the LDF and United Democratic Front (UDF). The LDF has returned to power with a bigger margin than last time, winning 99 seats out of the 140 Assembly seats compared to 91 seats in the 2016 Assembly election.
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury among others also attended the oath-taking ceremony. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated Vijayan and tweeted: “Congratulations to Shri @vijayanpinarayi Ji on taking oath as CM and commencing his second term in office.”
– global bihari bureau
