Oath Date & Time: May 18, 2026, 10:00 AM IST, Thiruvananthapuram. VD Satheesan took oath as Kerala Chief Minister as the Congress-led UDF returned to power after 10 years. A 21-member UDF Cabinet was sworn in at Central Stadium, marking a major political shift in Kerala.
The Congress-led United Democratic Front returned to power in Kerala on Monday, with VD Satheesan taking oath as the state’s new Chief Minister at Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office and secrecy to Satheesan and his 20-member Council of Ministers, marking a major political shift after the UDF spent 10 years in opposition. The ceremony was attended by senior Congress leaders, alliance partners and a large gathering of UDF workers. Satheesan’s rise comes after the UDF’s strong Assembly election performance, where the alliance won 102 seats in the 140-member House and defeated the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front.
New UDF Cabinet Takes Charge
VD Satheesan had unveiled the 21-member ministry ahead of the oath ceremony, saying the Cabinet list was prepared with social, regional and alliance balance in mind. The new UDF Cabinet includes 11 ministers from Congress, five from the Indian Union Muslim League and representatives from other alliance partners, including Kerala Congress, RSP, Kerala Congress (Jacob) and CMP. Reports said 14 members of the new ministry, including Satheesan, are first-time Cabinet entrants, giving the government a mix of senior political experience and new faces. The ministry also includes women and Scheduled Caste representation, while senior legislator Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan has been chosen as Speaker and Shanimol Usman as Deputy Speaker.
The VD Satheesan government begins its term with high expectations after the UDF’s comeback in Kerala. The new Chief Minister has projected the Cabinet formation as a sign of coalition unity, saying the alliance completed the process quickly because UDF leaders continued to work together after the election. However, the real test starts now. The government will have to manage portfolio allocation, coalition expectations, welfare delivery, employment concerns, infrastructure projects, education reforms and public trust after a heated election campaign. For Congress, Kerala’s result is politically significant because it gives the party a major southern state government and a stronger platform in national politics. The UDF’s challenge will be to convert its electoral victory into stable governance and visible delivery in the first months of the new administration.
