Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): CPI(M)-led LDF ministry will be expanded on August 17 with nominees of Congress-S, JD-S Gowda faction and Congress-J to be inducted in the cabinet.

Announcing this, Front convener Vaikom Viswan said the decision on the cabinet expansion was finalised by the LDF state committee here on Friday.

While the lone Congress-S MLA and veteran leader Ramachandran Kadannappally is becoming minister for the first time, Jose Thettayil is the JD-S Deve Gowda faction nominee.

The five-member legislature party of the JD-S had split after the last Lok Sabha polls, with three MLAs loyal to state party leader M P Veerendrakumar snapping ties with the national party led by the former prime minister. Two MLAs, Jose Thettayil and Mathew T Thomas, however, remained with the LDF.

The present Kerala Congress-J nominee in the cabinet Mons Joseph would resign his post to make way for P J Joseph, who quit the cabinet three years ago over charges of misbehaviour with a woman. He was cleared of the charges by the court later.