Kerala Government Oath Ceremony LIVE: V D Satheesan Takes Oath as CM, 20 Ministers to Join Cabinet
Kerala Government Oath Ceremony LIVE: V D Satheesan and 20 ministers will take oath today as the new Kerala UDF government assumes office.
By Srajan Agarwal | 2026-05-18T10:39:59.254500+05:30
Kerala is set to get its new government today as Chief Minister-designate V D Satheesan and his 20-member Council of Ministers take oath at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.
The oath ceremony is scheduled for 10 am. The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) is returning to power in Kerala after a gap of 10 years. The alliance won 102 seats in the 140-member Assembly, ending the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front government’s tenure.
LIVE Updates:
10:53 AM - IUML leader N Samsudheen takes oath
N Samsudheen took oath as a minister in the new Kerala Cabinet. The New Indian Express live feed reported that he took oath in the name of God.
10:52 AM - A P Anil Kumar takes oath as minister
Congress leader A P Anil Kumar took oath as a minister. His induction is part of the full UDF cabinet being sworn in today.
10:48 AM - C P John takes oath
Communist Marxist Party leader C P John took oath as minister. He is among the UDF allies included in the new cabinet.
10:44 AM - Anoop Jacob takes oath
Kerala Congress (Jacob) leader Anoop Jacob took oath as a minister in the Satheesan-led government.
10:43 AM Portfolio talks: Satheesan likely to keep Finance; Chennithala may get Home
According to India Today’s live update, V D Satheesan is expected to retain key portfolios including Finance and Ports. Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala is likely to get Home and Vigilance, while KPCC president Sunny Joseph may be given Revenue. Formal portfolio notification is still awaited.
10:41 AM - Entire Kerala Cabinet sworn in together
V D Satheesan and his 20-member Council of Ministers have taken oath together. India Today reported that this is the first time in nearly six decades that an entire Kerala Cabinet has taken oath together on the same day.
10:39 AM - Chennithala, Muraleedharan among ministers sworn in
Senior Congress leaders Ramesh Chennithala, K Muraleedharan, Sunny Joseph and Mons Joseph were among those sworn in as ministers in the Satheesan cabinet.
10:38 AM - Satheesan hugs Rahul Gandhi after oath
After taking oath as Kerala Chief Minister, V D Satheesan shared a hug with Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi at the venue.
10:34 AM - IUML gets five berths in cabinet
The Indian Union Muslim League, a key UDF ally, has got five ministerial berths in the new Kerala cabinet. IUML won 22 seats in the Assembly elections.
10:31 AM - Satheesan greets Rahul Gandhi after oath
V D Satheesan was seen greeting and hugging Rahul Gandhi after being sworn in as Chief Minister. Senior Congress leaders were present at the ceremony.
10:35 AM Update: Satheesan Takes Oath as Kerala Chief Minister
V D Satheesan has been sworn in as the Chief Minister of Kerala. The ceremony was held at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. His full Council of Ministers also took oath, completing the formation of the new UDF government.
10:25 AM Update: UDF Returns to Power After 10 Years
The new government has taken charge after the UDF secured a strong mandate in the Assembly elections. The alliance won 102 seats in the 140-member Kerala Assembly, ending the LDF’s 10-year rule in the state
10:13 AM V D Satheesan reaches venue, ceremony to begin shortly
V D Satheesan has arrived at the swearing-in venue in Thiruvananthapuram. The oath-taking ceremony is expected to begin shortly. Senior Congress leaders and UDF functionaries are already present at the venue.
10:01 AM: Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Congress CMs arrive
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have reached the venue for the swearing-in ceremony. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar have also arrived.
9:54 AM Satheesan arrives at Central Stadium
Chief Minister-designate V D Satheesan reached the Central Stadium ahead of the formal oath-taking. The ceremony will mark the formation of the new UDF government in the state.
9:46 AM Satheesan welcomes Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi
Before reaching the venue, V D Satheesan welcomed Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other senior Congress leaders at the airport.
9:37 AM: Satheesan meets AICC leaders
Satheesan met senior Congress leaders K C Venugopal, Deepa Dasmunsi, Bhupesh Baghel and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy at the Thiruvananthapuram airport before the ceremony.
9:22 AM: Satheesan and Ramesh Chennithala reach the stage
V D Satheesan and senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala reached the stage moments before the scheduled start of the swearing-in ceremony. Crowds at the venue cheered as the leaders arrived.
Cabinet Details
The new cabinet includes senior Congress leaders Ramesh Chennithala, K Muraleedharan and Sunny Joseph, along with IUML leaders P K Kunhalikutty, P K Basheer, N Shamsudheen, K M Shaji and V E Abdul Gafoor. Other ministers include Mons Joseph, Shibu Baby John, Anoop Jacob, C P John, A P Anil Kumar, T Siddique, P C Vishnunath, Roji M John, Bindu Krishna, M Liju, K A Thulasi and O J Janeesh.
Satheesan will handle the Finance Department, while Ramesh Chennithala has been assigned the Home portfolio, according to live updates published before the ceremony.
Senior Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan has been named Speaker of the Assembly, while Shanimol Usman will serve as Deputy Speaker. MLA Apu John Joseph has been appointed Government Chief Whip.
Also Read: Satheesan Names 20 Ministers; New Kerala Cabinet to Take Oath on May 18
Kerala Chief Minister-designate V D Satheesan will take oath as the state’s new Chief Minister today, May 18, at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. Along with him, 20 ministers will also be sworn in as part of the new UDF government.
The ceremony comes a day after Satheesan formally announced his cabinet. The new ministry will have 21 members, including the Chief Minister. Reports said the cabinet includes 14 first-time ministers, along with senior leaders from Congress and UDF allies.
The Congress has the largest share in the new cabinet. The Indian Union Muslim League and other UDF allies have also been given representation. Portfolio allocation has not been announced yet and discussions are still underway.
Source URL: https://news4bharat.com/breaking-news/kerala-government-oath-ceremony-live-updates-v-d-sathee-20260518-8exm/