Thiruvananthapuram: In a highly anticipated move, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is expected to reshuffle portfolios in the state cabinet on December 29, adhering to the 2021 agreement among various partners of the ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF).
The reshuffle comes in the wake of the resignations of two ministers, Antony Raju and Ahamed Devarkovil, who stepped down on Sunday as part of the agreed-upon arrangement. Raju, overseeing the Transport portfolio, and Devarkovil, responsible for Ports, will be succeeded by film actor-turned-politician K.B. Ganesh Kumar and veteran Kadanapally Ramachandran, respectively.
Speculation is rife regarding the possibility of a broader reshuffle affecting existing ministers, particularly within the CPI(M). The decision rests with Chief Minister Vijayan, who wields authority not only in the government but also within the party and the LDF.
The talk of a reshuffle gained traction when Ganesh Kumar expressed a reluctance to take on the Transport portfolio, citing financial challenges in the state-run Transport Department, where salaries and pensions often face delays. Kumar, who joined the LDF ahead of the 2016 Assembly polls, has a history as a legislator since 2001 and previously served as a minister in the A.K. Antony government and the Oommen Chandy cabinet.
As the political landscape in Kerala undergoes these changes, all eyes are on the upcoming cabinet reshuffle and the decisions of Chief Minister Vijayan.
