The Hindu : Kerala News : Chandy, four Ministers sworn in

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Wednesday, Sep 01, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Chandy, four Ministers sworn in

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, AUG. 31 . Oommen Chandy of the Congress, leading the United Democratic Front (UDF), today assumed office as the 19th Chief Minister of the State. The Governor, R.L. Bhatia, administered the oath of office and secrecy to him and to four Ministers at the Raj Bhavan here.

The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader, P.K. Kunhalikutty, the Kerala Congress (M) leader, K.M. Mani, the Janadhipathya Samrakshana Samithy (JSS) leader, K.R. Gauri, and the Communist Marxist Party (CMP) leader, M.V. Raghavan, who were sworn in, were in the previous Ministry. The Kerala Congress (B) leader, R. Balakrishna Pillai, and the Kerala Congress (Jacob) leader, T.M. Jacob, who were also in the Ministry, were not included. A decision on their inclusion or otherwise will be taken after Mr. Chandy consults the Congress high command and other UDF partners. The Revolutionary Socialist Party (B), which today inched towards a vertical split, also went unrepresented.

The swearing-in was witnessed by the former Chief Minister, A.K. Antony; another former Chief Minister, K. Karunakaran; two All India Congress Committee observers, Pranab Kumar Mukherjee and Margaret Alva; the AICC general secretary, Ahmed Patel; and the AICC secretary, Anil Sastri.

The Speaker, Vakkom Purushothaman, former Ministers and the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president, Thennala Balakrishna Pillai, were present.

Mr. Balakrishna Pillai did not attend, but Mr. Jacob along with the president of his party, Johnny Nellore, did.

Mr. Chandy was mobbed by enthusiastic supporters on the Raj Bhavan grounds.

Soon after the swearing-in and the customary reception in the Raj Bhavan Hall, the Chief Minister presided over a Cabinet meeting.

Talking to mediapersons later, Mr. Chandy said that Mr. Pillai and Mr. Jacob were not invited on account of the complaints against them received by the UDF and the high command to the effect that they had worked against the interests of the UDF.

He said the question of their inclusion would be discussed with the high command during his visit to New Delhi to finalise the list of Congress Ministers.

Mr. Chandy did not provide any indication of the likely choice of Congress Ministers, but hinted that his team would have fresh faces. He made it clear that the Congress did not want to grab any of the portfolios that were being held by its UDF partners.

The IUML parliamentary board and legislature party met separately to consider its list of Ministers. The party leadership decided to wait till the Congress list was announced before deciding on its choices.

A senor party leader said the party might induct new faces if the Congress does so.

Mr. Chandy began his first day in office by meeting Congress MLAs individually to seek their views on issues including the composition of the Ministry, and steps to improve the administration.

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