Congress Finalizing Kerala Cabinet; Satheesan to Submit List to Governor Sunday

The Congress party is close to finalising its key ministers after consultations and reconciliation efforts. CM-designate V D Satheesan, who will assume office on May 18, said he would submit the complete list of the cabinet to the governor on Sunday. Satheesan's efforts to persuade Ramesh Chennithala to join govt have succeeded in the second round of discussions between them. As part of the understanding reached within the party, Ramesh is expected to handle the home portfolio along with vigilance and emerge as the number two in the cabinet. Party sources said the Congress high command also intervened to convince Ramesh to accept Satheesan's request to become part of the ministry, thereby ending the uncertainty over his role in the govt. It has also become almost certain that Satheesan himself will retain the finance portfolio. Satheesan also held crucial discussions with AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal, who was a contender for the CM post. The meeting, held at Venugopal's residence, marked the first interaction between the two functionaries after Satheesan was picked for the post. Sources said Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, Sunny Joseph, K Muraleedharan and A P Anil Kumar, along with P C Vishnunath, Bindu Krishna, M Liju and Chandy Oommen, were almost certain to find a place in the cabinet. They indicated that a few more names could be added after finalising the number of ministerial posts with UDF allies. The portfolios of Congress ministers will also be decided after discussions with the allies. Sources said some additional names proposed by Ramesh were unlikely to be accommodated at this stage. Reports suggest that he had sought the inclusion of one of his nominees in the cabinet during the negotiations. Sunny Joseph, Muraleedharan and Radhakrishnan are likely to get major portfolios. At present, Bindu Krishna is the only woman MLA cleared by the party state leadership to join the cabinet. Shanimol Usman is also being actively considered. As per the agreed formula, the KPCC president will submit the list of Congress nominees to the party high command for approval. Following clearance from Delhi, Satheesan is expected to forward the final list of ministers, including representatives of UDF constituents, to the governor on Sunday afternoon.