Thiruvananthapuram: Four members of the outgoing cabinet are likely to be part of the second Pinarayi Vijayan government, along with the new faces.
Central committee member K K Shailaja, state secretariat members T P Ramakrishnan and M M Mani are likely to be retained. A C Moideen could also be given another opportunity.
Central committee members M V Govindan, and K Radhakrishnan, and secretariat members P Rajeev and K N Balagopal are also on the list of probables. This is unlikely to change, according to the party leadership. But it remains to be seen who will be picked from V Sivankutty, V N Vasavan, M B Rajesh, Veena George, Chitharanjan, and V Abdurahiman.
The LDF has stepped up the talks on cabinet formation. The CPM leadership held talks with CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran over matters, including the allocation of portfolios. The attempt is for the CPI-CPM to reach a consensus over the ministerial berths and portfolios before the LDF meet on Monday. The allocation of portfolios can be completed only if the CPI's response to the CPM’s suggestion for reshuffling the usual portfolios is known.
In the 21-member cabinet, the CPM is likely to have 12 ministers, including the chief minister, and four ministers for the CPI. The CPM is likely to get the speaker post, while the CPI the deputy speaker post. But the CPI might lose out on the chief whip post.
During the meeting, the CPM has also informed the CPI about the suggestions on the ministerial berths of the alliance partners. The Kerala Congress is likely to get one minister and the chief whip post. The NCP and JDS are likely to get one minister each. Among the parties with just a single MLA, the Kerala Congress (B) is almost certain to get a ministerial berth.
The Congress (S) is unlikely to get a ministerial berth. Janadhipathya Kerala Congress and the INL could be accommodated in the cabinet by giving both parties two-and-a-half years each.
The swearing-in ceremony will be held at the central stadium at 3:30pm on May 20.
