The Hindu : Front Page : Mons to be sworn in on October 18

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Sunday, Oct 14, 2007
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Mons to be sworn in on October 18

Special Correspondent

Mons Joseph

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Congress (J) nominee Mons Joseph will assume office as Minister for Public Works on October 18.

Governor R.L. Bhatia will administer him the oath of office and secrecy at a function to be held at 4.30 p.m. at Raj Bhavan.

The date was chosen considering the convenience of the Governor and the fact that October 18 is the first day of the Malayalam month Thulam.

A meeting of the high-power committee of Kerala Congress (J) held in Kochi on Friday night had nominated Mr. Mons Joseph for the ministerial berth. Party chairman P.J. Joseph conveyed the decision to Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan this morning over phone. Mr. Mons Joseph, son of O. Joseph and Mariamma Joseph of Kaduthuruthy, entered politics as a student through the Kerala Students Congress (KSC). He has been chairman and general secretary of the KSC, Baselios College unit, Kottayam, and its State president and general secretary. As student leader, he led several agitations. Later, he became president of the Youth Front (J) and president of the Kottayam district committee of the Kerala Congress. Currently, he is general secretary of the Kerala Congress State Committee, president of the Kerala Research Centre and executive council member of the Gandhiji Study Centre.

He was first elected to the Assembly in 1996 from Kaduthuruthy. His main opponent in the election was P.M. Mathew (Kerala Congress-Jacob). In the 2001 Assembly election, Stephen George (Kerala Congress-M) defeated him. But Mr. Mons Joseph wrested the seat back from him in 2006.

No protest: MLA

PTI adds: The other KC(J) MLA, V. Surendran Pillai, who lost the race for Cabinet berth, told presspersons that he had no protest over the selection and would extend full support to Mr. Mons Joseph. He said the party leadership was of the opinion that both he and Mr. Mons Joseph were equally qualified for the post.

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