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Oommen Chandy Sworn in as Kerala Chief Minister

  •   Wed, May 18 2011 03:24:59 PM

Thiruvananthapuram, May 18 (IANS/PTI) Congress leader Oommen Chandy, 67, was sworn in as Kerala's 21st chief minister by Governor R.S. Gavai at Raj Bhavan here Wednesday.This will be Chandy's second stint as the chief minister, after 2004 when he replaced A.K. Antony following a Congress rout in the Lok Sabha polls.

Party leaders from all six allies of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) were also sworn in with Chandy.

The new ministers include Indian Union Muslim League's (IUML) P.K. Kunhalikutty, K.M. Mani of the Kerala Congress (Mani), K.P. Mohanan of the Socialist Janata (Democratic) (SJ-D) party, T.M. Jacob of the Kerala Congress (Jacob), K.B. Ganesh Kumar of Kerala Congress (Pillai) and Shibu Baby John of the RSP (B).

Among those in attendance were outgoing chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan, former minister and UDF leader K.R. Gowri, and former Left ministers Thomas Issac, M.A. Baby, and K. Ramachandran, among others.

After tea with the governor, Chandy and his newly-formed cabinet drove to the state secretariat for its first cabinet meeting.
The second round of swearing-in is expected to be held here May 23.

Known for his organisational skills and administrative acumen, Oommen Chandy is perceived to be the best bet for Congress to lead the UDF ministry as it commands a wafer-thin majority with 72 seats in the 140-member Kerala Assembly.

67-year-old Chandy, a key political player of Kerala for long, has played a vital role since 1970s in building the party as a mass force capable of taking on the CPI(M).

A mass leader with a man-next-door image, Chandy scaled the political ladder starting from his school days as an activist of Congress's student-wing Kerala Students Union.

Chandy's acceptability and popularity greatly helped the Congress to strike roots among the youth through the politically turbulent 1960s and 70s.

He moved to the central role of the UDF left vacant by late K Karunakaran and A K Antony when he was chosen as chief minister for an interim term in 2004-06.
  

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Comment on this article

  • A.S.Mathew, U.S.A.

    Wed, May 18 2011

    Mr. Mark Lobo: Thank you for your response. It seems like
    you are totally agreeing with
    Mr. Madhav H. about the survival scope
    of the newly elected government
    of Kerala. Based on the past
    political circus history of Kerala, also
    based on the very narrow margin
    of the current administration,
    we can be highly pessimistic about
    the lifespan of the current
    administration.

    Perhaps the public is not totally
    aware of the financial lost and the administrative set backs in
    the fast demises of the State
    administrations.

    For the sake of all the citizens
    of Kerala, let us hope and pray
    that this administration may
    survive all the regular chronic political
    storms and leg pulling political
    traditions of Kerala. It is very
    true that the LDF might have
    already started their work
    in underground to uproot the
    current administration.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Mark Lobo, Dubai -MUM

    Wed, May 18 2011

    A.S.Mathew, U.S.A. let hope to survival for 2 months or for a year then think for 5 Years

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • A.S.Mathew, U.S.A.

    Wed, May 18 2011

    I heard his name for the first
    time as an emerging young leader
    through the "All Kerala Balajana
    Sakhyam" which was started by
    the most leading daily news paper
    "Malayala Manorama" from Kottayam.

    The UDF came into power through a
    narrow margin of 4 MLAs. Mr. Chandy is a charismatic person
    with less fighting spirit, also
    with more compromising attitude
    towards other political parties.
    I wish him all the best wishes
    to lead the State of Kerala in an
    effective and fair administration
    for the next five years.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Madhav H, Manglore - dubai

    Wed, May 18 2011

    What a bad situation for CONGRESS party surprising to see dozen of party in UPA and congress is enjoying the CM post hope OOmmen Chandy CANDY work out opned SWISS BANK AC hope kerala next election in two months or in a year.Congress can do anything to come to power.......Jai Congress

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse


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