The Left Democratic Front (LDF) government led by CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Pinarayi Vijayan assumed office, after a 19-member Cabinet was sworn in at the Central Stadium here on Wednesday evening by Governor P. Sathasivam.
Huge crowd Besides a huge crowd of the Left cadre and sympathisers from various parts of the State who thronged the venue, the ceremony had the presence of political and cultural leaders, litterateurs, film personalities, and others.
This is the second LDF Cabinet to be sworn in outside the Raj Bhavan, in a bid to provide room for party workers and the public. It was done on an earlier occasion when the V.S. Achuthanandan-led government of the LDF assumed office in 2006.
Governor P. Sathasivam administered the oath of office and secrecy to Chief Minister-designate Pinarayi Vijayan and 18 members of his Cabinet at the Central Stadium. Mr. Vijayan had called on the Governor in the morning and submitted the list of Ministers.
Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) president H.D. Deve Gowda, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, party Polit Bureau member Prakash Karat, former Chief Ministers Oommen Chandy and V.S. Achuthanandan were among those present during the ceremony which was held at the Central Stadium, located behind the Government Secretariat, to accommodate the thousands of LDF activists and fellow travellers who had descended on the capital from early this morning to witness the event.
Scores of CPI(M) workers were present all through the day in front of the AKG Centre, the State headquarters of the CPI(M), chanting slogans and greeting every leader who moved in and out.
Apart from Mr. Vijayan, the other members of the Cabinet are E.P. Jayarajan, T.M. Thomas Isaac, A.K. Balan, K.K. Shylaja, G. Sudhakaran, C. Ravindranath, Kadakampally Surendran, T.P. Ramakrishnan, J. Mercykutty Amma, A.C. Moideen and K.T. Jaleel (CPI-M), E. Chandrasekharan, V.S. Sunil Kumar, P. Thilothaman and K. Raju (CPI), Mathew T. Thomas (Janata Dal-Secular), A.K. Saseendran (Nationalist Congress Party) and Ramachandran Kadannappalli (Congress-S).
