Pinarayi Vijayan sworn-in as Kerala CM for second time

Thiruvananthapuram: CPI(M) Veteran Pinarayi Vijayan was sworn-in as Chief Minister of Kerala for the second time along with 20 ministers here on Thursday.

Mr Vijayan led the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) to the consecutive victory in the April 6 Assembly election.

Governor Arif Mohammed Khan administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr Vijayan and the new ministers in the presence of 500 people, amid COVID protocol, at the Central Stadium at 1530 hours.

Mr Pinarayi Vijayan, CPI(M) politburo member had won from the Dharmadam seat in North Kerala's Kannur district with a margin of 50,123 votes.

Earlier, he had been elected to the assembly in 1970, 1977, 1991 and 1996.

This time, the LDF won 99 seats out of the 140 Assembly seats compared to 91 seats in the 2016 Assembly election, paving way for a second consecutive term for Mr Pinarayi Vijayan, altering the four-decades-long electoral tradition in Kerala where there was alternative shift of power between the LDF and United Democratic Front (UDF)

Those who took oath as ministers are K Krishnankutty, JD(S), AK Saseendran, NCP, K Radhakrishnan, CPI-M, J Chinchurani, CPI, Roshy Augustine, KC(M), P Rajeev, CPI-M, K Rajan, CPI, Veena George, CPI-M, Prof R Bindu, CPI-M, MV Govindan Master, CPI-M, PA Mohamed Riyas, CPI-M, Ahamed Devarkovil, INL, V Abdurahiman, National Secular Conference, V Sivankutty, CPI-M, Antony Raju, Democratic Kerala Congress, GR Anil, CPI, KN Balagopal, CPI-M, Saji Cheriyan, CPI-M, P Prasad, CP and VN Vasavan, CPI-M,

Except Chief Minister, A K Saseendran and K Krishnankutty, all other ministers are fresh faces.

Ahead of the ceremony, a virtual music programme of 54 singers aired at the venue.

CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury among others also attended the oath-taking ceremony. (UNI)