Kasaragod, Idukki, and Pathanamthitta districts in Kerala have been left without any ministerial representation in the newly formed United Democratic Front (UDF) cabinet. This comes despite the UDF's significant electoral wins in these very regions.
The exclusion has sparked murmurs of discontent, particularly from districts that delivered strong results for the coalition. In Idukki, the UDF secured a clean sweep, winning all five seats. Similarly, the coalition performed well in Pathanamthitta, claiming four out of five seats. Kasaragod also saw UDF successes, with BJP's K Surendran expressing "deep pain" over the exclusion of A K M Ashraf from Kasaragod, noting the district's historical underrepresentation.
While the formation of the cabinet, led by VD Satheesan, involved intricate negotiations and considerations of regional balance and coalition pressures, the oversight of these three districts raises questions about the UDF's distributive fairness. M.K. Raghavan, a Congress MP from Kozhikode, voiced disappointment that neither the Congress nor the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) could secure a ministerial post for the district, despite the Congress winning five seats and the IUML securing six in the area.
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The cabinet's composition also highlights certain internal dynamics within the UDF. Notably, for the first time in recent Congress history, the government will feature two women ministers. Additionally, there will be two Scheduled Caste ministers, signaling shifts in representation. The Kerala Congress (Joseph) faction, with seven MLAs, secured a key concession with the Chief Whip post, carrying cabinet rank, reflecting ongoing alliance negotiations.
The inclusion of specific individuals also appears to be influenced by internal party standings and loyalties. For instance, Shanimol Osman's return to the assembly from Aroor is seen as a consolidation of the Satheesan camp. Similarly, M Liju's prospects for a cabinet berth were reportedly bolstered by his support for A K C Venugopal during chief ministerial discussions. The IUML's selection of P K Basheer, for example, is described as an attempt to balance organizational strength, cadre sentiment, and regional representation.
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The list of ministers and their portfolios includes:
| Minister | Party | Constituency | Portfolio |
|---|---|---|---|
| K M Shaji | IUML | Vengara | Local Self-Government |
| V E Abdul Gafoor | IUML | Kalamassery | Minority Welfare and Waqf |
| P K KunhaliKutty | IUML | Malappuram | Industries, IT |
| Bindhu Krishna | Congress | Kollam | Women and Child Welfare |
| N Samsudheen | IUML | Mannarkkad | General Education |
| K A Thulasi | Congress | Kongad | Welfare of SC/ST |
| Mons Joseph | KC | Kaduthuruthy | Water Resources, Irrigation |
| T Siddique | Congress | Kalpetta | Forest |
| Shanimol Osman | Congress | Aroor | Deputy Speaker |
| M Liju | Congress | Kayamkulam | Excise |
| P C Vishnunadh | Congress | Kundara | Coop and Culture |
| P K Basheer | IUML | Eranad | Public Works |
| Sunny Joseph | INC | Peravoor, Kannur | - |
| Roji M John | INC | Angamaly, Ernakulam | - |
| O J Janeesh | INC | Thrikkakara, Ernakulam | - |
| A P Anil Kumar | INC | Nilambur, Malappuram | - |
Historically, districts like Kasaragod have faced periods of no ministerial representation, including the Oommen Chandy government (2011-2016) and the second Pinarayi ministry (2021-2026). The current exclusion revisits this pattern, with the absence of representation from Kasaragod, Idukki, and Pathanamthitta now a prominent feature of the new UDF government.
