Table of Contents
The Kerala Cabinet Ministers List 2026 consists of Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan and 20 cabinet ministers, sworn in on 18 May 2026 at the Central Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram, after the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) won a landslide 102 of 140 seats in the 2026 Kerala Legislative Assembly election. Officially known as the Kerala Council of Ministers, the cabinet includes senior leaders such as Ramesh Chennithala (Home), P. K. Kunhalikutty (Industries & IT), and K. Muraleedharan (Health), alongside younger faces like O. J. Janeesh. Congress holds 12 berths, IUML holds 5, and smaller UDF allies — Kerala Congress, RSP, CMP and Kerala Congress (Jacob) — hold one each. This list ended the CPI(M)-led LDF’s decade-long rule in the state.
Here’s the complete Kerala cabinet ministers list for 2026, including minister names, portfolios, party names, and how the government itself came together.
Chief Ministers of Kerala (1957 – 2026)
Kerala Council of Ministers 2026: Quick Details
- Government formed: V. D. Satheesan Ministry (UDF)
- Sworn in: 18 May 2026, Central Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram
- Chief Minister: V. D. Satheesan (INC), Paravur constituency — 13th CM of Kerala
- Total cabinet size: 21 (CM + 20 ministers)
- Preceded by: Second Pinarayi Vijayan Ministry (LDF)
- Election mandate: UDF won 102/140 seats (73% majority); Congress 63, IUML 22, LDF 35, BJP 3
- Oath administered by: Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar
- Party split in cabinet: INC 12 · IUML 5 · Kerala Congress 1 · Kerala Congress (Jacob) 1 · RSP 1 · CMP 1
- CM’s own portfolios: Finance, Law, General Administration, Planning
- Notable appointments: Ramesh Chennithala (Home), K. Muraleedharan (Health), P. K. Kunhalikutty (Industries & IT)
- Youngest minister: O. J. Janeesh, 37 (Sports & Youth Affairs)
- Speaker: Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan (INC), elected 22 May 2026
- Deputy Speaker: Shanimol Osman (INC), elected 2 June 2026
- Leader of Opposition: Pinarayi Vijayan (CPI-M)
Kerala Cabinet Ministers 2026 – Full List
1: Which Year First Assembly Election was held in Kerala?
With names like VD Satheesan, Ramesh Chennithala, Shanimol Usman, K C Venugopal, and several IUML leaders discussed strongly through the negotiation process, the cabinet has already become one of the hottest political topics in Kerala. Check the complete Kerala Cabinet Ministers List 2026 here:
| # | Minister | Portrait |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | V. D. Satheesan (CM) |  |
| 2 | P. K. Kunhalikutty |  |
| 3 | Ramesh Chennithala |  |
| 4 | Sunny Joseph |  |
| 5 | K. Muraleedharan |  |
| 6 | Mons Joseph |  |
| 7 | Shibu Baby John |  |
| 8 | Anoop Jacob |  |
| 9 | C. P. John |  |
| 10 | A. P. Anil Kumar |  |
| 11 | N. Samsudheen |  |
| 12 | P. C. Vishnunadh |  |
| 13 | Roji M. John |  |
| 14 | Bindu Krishna |  |
| 15 | M. Liju |  |
| 16 | K. M. Shaji |  |
| 17 | P. K. Basheer |  |
| 18 | V. E. Abdul Gafoor |  |
| 19 | T. Siddique |  |
| 20 | K. A. Thulasi |  |
| 21 | O. J. Janeesh |  |
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Join Now!Kerala Cabinet Ministers 2026 – Party and Key Portfolios
| # | Minister | Party | Key Portfolios |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | V. D. Satheesan (CM) | INC | Finance, Law, General Administration, Planning |
| 2 | P. K. Kunhalikutty | IUML | Industries & Commerce, IT, AI, Startups, Mining & Geology, Handlooms & Textiles |
| 3 | Ramesh Chennithala | INC | Home, Vigilance, Fire & Rescue Services, Prisons, Coir |
| 4 | Sunny Joseph | Kerala Congress | Electricity, Environment, Parliamentary Affairs, ANERT |
| 5 | K. Muraleedharan | INC | Health & Family Welfare, Medical Education, AYUSH, Food Safety, Devaswom |
| 6 | Mons Joseph | Kerala Congress (Joseph) | Irrigation, CADA, Ground Water, Water Supply & Sanitation, Housing |
| 7 | Shibu Baby John | RSP | Forests & Wildlife Protection, Skill Development, KASE |
| 8 | Anoop Jacob | Kerala Congress (Jacob) | Food & Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs, Legal Metrology |
| 9 | C. P. John | CMP | Road Transport, Motor Vehicles, Water Transport |
| 10 | A. P. Anil Kumar | INC | Land Revenue, Survey & Land Records, Land Reforms |
| 11 | N. Samsudheen | IUML | General Education, Minority Welfare, Waqf & Hajj |
| 12 | P. C. Vishnunadh | INC | Tourism, Culture, KSFDC, Chalachitra Academy |
| 13 | Roji M. John | INC | Higher Education, Collegiate/Technical Education, NCC, ASAP |
| 14 | Bindu Krishna | INC | Labour, Dairy Development, Women & Child Development, Animal Husbandry |
| 15 | M. Liju | INC | Excise, Co-operation |
| 16 | K. M. Shaji | IUML | Local Self Government (Panchayat/Municipality/Corporation), Rural Development |
| 17 | P. K. Basheer | IUML | Public Works (PWD) |
| 18 | V. E. Abdul Gafoor | IUML | Fisheries, Harbour Engineering, Social Justice |
| 19 | T. Siddique | INC | Agriculture, Soil Survey & Conservation, Kerala Agricultural University |
| 20 | K. A. Thulasi | INC | Welfare of SC/ST & Backward Classes |
| 21 | O. J. Janeesh | INC | Sports, Youth Affairs, Zoos, Museum, Registration, Archaeology |
Kerala Cabinet Ministers List 2026 – Party-wise Representation
- Indian National Congress (INC): 12 ministers — the largest share, reflecting its position as the dominant party in the UDF coalition.
- Indian Union Muslim League (IUML): 5 ministers — Kunhalikutty, Samsudheen, Shaji, Basheer, and Abdul Gafoor — the biggest allocation among UDF allies.
- Kerala Congress, Kerala Congress (Jacob), RSP, CMP: 1 minister each, rounding out the coalition’s smaller partners.
Kerala Cabinet Ministers List 2026 – District Representation (Ministers by District)
Beyond party and community balance, portfolio allocation in the V. D. Satheesan cabinet also reveals a clear district-wise pattern. Ernakulam and Malappuram emerge as the biggest beneficiaries, together accounting for nearly 40% of all cabinet berths — a reflection of both districts’ outsized seat tallies in the 2026 election and their weight within the Congress and IUML organisations respectively.
- Ernakulam and Malappuram lead the pack with 4 ministers each, making them the best-represented districts in the cabinet.
- Kollam follows closely with 3 berths, anchored by two Congress ministers and RSP’s Shibu Baby John.
- Alappuzha, Thiruvananthapuram, and Palakkad get 2 ministers each — a mix of senior leadership (Chennithala, Muraleedharan) and newer faces.
- Kannur, Wayanad, Thrissur, and Kottayam get one minister each, ensuring every major UDF-won region has at least a voice at the cabinet table.
- Kozhikode, Pathanamthitta, Idukki, and Kasaragod — despite strong UDF performances in several of these seats — have no cabinet representation this time around, a gap likely to fuel demands for representation in any future reshuffle.
| District | Ministers | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Ernakulam | V. D. Satheesan (Paravur), V. E. Abdul Gafoor (Kalamassery), Anoop Jacob (Piravom), Roji M. John (Angamaly) | 4 |
| Malappuram | P. K. Kunhalikutty (Malappuram), A. P. Anil Kumar (Wandoor), K. M. Shaji (Vengara), P. K. Basheer (Eranad) | 4 |
| Kollam | P. C. Vishnunadh (Kundara), Shibu Baby John (Chavara), Bindu Krishna (Kollam) | 3 |
| Alappuzha | Ramesh Chennithala (Haripad), M. Liju (Kayamkulam) | 2 |
| Thiruvananthapuram | K. Muraleedharan (Vattiyoorkavu), C. P. John (Thiruvananthapuram) | 2 |
| Palakkad | K. A. Thulasi (Kongad), N. Samsudheen (Mannarkkad) | 2 |
| Kannur | Sunny Joseph (Peravoor) | 1 |
| Wayanad | T. Siddique (Kalpetta) | 1 |
| Thrissur | O. J. Janeesh (Kodungallur) | 1 |
| Kottayam | Mons Joseph (Kaduthuruthy) | 1 |
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Join Now!How the 2026 UDF Government Was Formed
The formation of the V. D. Satheesan-led UDF government was the culmination of a decisive electoral mandate followed by ten days of intense internal negotiation — a process that shaped not just who got a cabinet berth, but which portfolios they walked away with.
The Mandate
The 2026 Kerala Legislative Assembly election marked a historic turning point in state politics. The Congress-led UDF secured a decisive 102 out of 140 seats — a nearly three-fourths majority, ending ten continuous years of Left Democratic Front (LDF) governance under Pinarayi Vijayan. Congress alone won 63 seats, with the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) contributing 22 — making the two parties the backbone of the new government. The LDF was reduced to 35 seats, while the BJP recorded its best-ever performance in Kerala, winning 3 seats for the first time.
Choosing the Chief Minister
Following the AICC’s announcement of V. D. Satheesan as Chief Minister-designate on 14 May 2026, days of internal negotiation within Congress and among UDF allies preceded the final release of the ministerial list — a process leaders described as thorough but necessary to balance regional, caste, and party-alliance interests.
VD Satheesan, a six-time MLA and veteran Congress leader, was chosen by the Congress high command after ten days of deliberations. Senior leaders KC Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala were also in contention for the top post, but Satheesan — widely credited with leading the UDF’s aggressive and well-coordinated campaign — ultimately prevailed. His selection was seen as a reward for electoral strategy and grassroots connect built over six terms as MLA from Paravur.
Negotiating the Cabinet List
Political observers believe this cabinet formation was not just about governance — it was also about balancing regional power, caste equations, youth representation, and party influence inside the UDF alliance. What followed was widely described as a “delicate tapestry” to weave together:
- Regional balance — ensuring no district or region felt shut out of representation.
- Caste and community representation — the final 20-member team included 2 women ministers and 2 representatives from Scheduled Communities.
- Alliance arithmetic — IUML, as the UDF’s largest coalition partner, had to be allocated berths proportional to its 22-seat contribution, while smaller allies (Kerala Congress, Kerala Congress (Jacob), RSP, CMP) each needed at least symbolic representation.
- Internal Congress balancing — with 63 elected legislators all carrying regional and factional backing, Satheesan had to make what reports called “heartbreaking omissions,” and some coverage pointed to the continuing influence of the “Venugopal camp” in shaping the final list.
The final blueprint was submitted to Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, and Satheesan publicly announced the 20-minister list before the swearing-in — ending days of speculation over who would make the cut.
Setting the Tone Before Taking Office
Even before formally assuming charge, Chief Minister-designate Satheesan announced a set of austerity measures for the new government, positioning “responsible governance” as a defining theme from day one:
- No convoy vehicles for the Chief Minister’s official travel — breaking from the customary large motorcade associated with the CM’s movements.
- No security escort vehicles accompanying the CM’s motorcade, a further trim on the traditional VIP security arrangement.
- The measures were framed as being in line with the Centre’s suggestions on responsible fuel and resource usage, tying the symbolic gesture to broader public messaging around fiscal discipline.
The move was widely read as a deliberate contrast-setting exercise — a new government signalling restraint and public accountability right at the point of transition, even as it simultaneously staged a large-scale, high-profile swearing-in ceremony with top national Congress leadership in attendance. This dual approach — austerity in personal trappings alongside a grand political show of strength at the oath ceremony — reflects the balancing act the new UDF government struck between projecting humility in governance style and asserting political dominance after ending the LDF’s decade-long rule.
The Swearing-In Ceremony
V. D. Satheesan was sworn in as the 13th Chief Minister of Kerala on 18 May 2026, at a grand ceremony held at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administering the oath of office and secrecy to him and his full 20-member Cabinet together, as promised beforehand by Satheesan. The event doubled as a show of Congress’s national strength, drawing top party leadership — AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra — alongside sitting Congress Chief Ministers from Karnataka (Siddaramaiah), Telangana (Revanth Reddy), and Himachal Pradesh (Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu), plus Karnataka Deputy CM D. K. Shivakumar, underlining Kerala’s place as the third Congress-ruled state in the south.
Outgoing CM Pinarayi Vijayan, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, CPI leader Binoy Viswam, and IUML leaders were also present, alongside hundreds of UDF workers under tight security. The occasion marked the formal end of the LDF’s decade-long rule in Kerala, prompting even Prime Minister Narendra Modi to extend congratulations and assure Central support to the incoming government.
Key Highlights of V D Satheesan Cabinet
Coalition Composition
- Dominated by Congress (INC), which holds roughly 57% of cabinet berths.
- IUML is the largest ally, with about 24% of ministers (5 berths: Kunhalikutty, Samsudheen, Shaji, Basheer, Abdul Gafoor).
- Smaller allies represented: Kerala Congress, Kerala Congress (Jacob), RSP, and CMP — each holding one ministry.
Notable Portfolio Decisions
- CM Satheesan retained Finance, Law, General Administration and Planning himself.
- Ramesh Chennithala returned to a “familiar domain,” taking the crucial Home and Vigilance portfolios.
- K. Muraleedharan was handed Health and Devaswom — a significant charge given his political stature.
- P. K. Kunhalikutty (IUML) got Industries, IT and the newly emphasised Artificial Intelligence portfolio, along with Startups and Textiles.
- O. J. Janeesh, at 37, is the youngest minister in the cabinet — a deliberate move to bring in younger leadership and shore up Congress’s presence in Thrissur.
- Portfolio allocation reportedly took into account caste, regional, and district balance across the state (see the District Representation section above).
Early Policy Moves
- In its first cabinet meeting, the government approved two “Indira Guarantees” from the UDF manifesto: free KSRTC bus travel for women and an Old Age Commission.
- Ordered a probe into the alleged beating of Youth Congress/KSU workers during the LDF’s Nava Kerala Sadas yatra.
- Created a dedicated Senior Citizens Welfare Department — described as the first of its kind in India.
- Announced the “Oommen Chandy Health Insurance” scheme, proposing ₹25 lakh health cover per family.
Ramesh Chennithala: Senior Leader Gets Cabinet Berth
Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala secured one of the most powerful berths in the V. D. Satheesan cabinet, taking charge of Home Affairs and Vigilance along with Fire and Rescue Services, Prisons, and Coir. Media coverage described it as him “returning to a familiar domain” — Chennithala had previously held the Home portfolio from 2012 to 2013 under the Oommen Chandy government, and later served as Leader of the Opposition from 2016 to 2021, succeeded in that role by Satheesan himself.
His return to Home Affairs is widely seen as a significant appointment given his political stature and administrative experience within the party, placing him at the center of law-and-order management in the new UDF government.
IUML’s Role: 5 Ministers and Representation
- IUML’s 5 berths were announced by Sayed Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal (President, IUML Kerala State Committee), reflecting the party’s status as UDF’s biggest coalition partner after Congress.
- The party secured a mix of heavyweight and strategically important portfolios — Kunhalikutty’s Industries/IT/AI charge is among the most high-profile in the cabinet.
- Regional consideration was factored in: reports noted Kozhikode was set to gain representation later via Parakkal Abdulla, though it wasn’t specified which minister would be replaced.
- Basheer and Shaji are relatively senior, long-serving MLAs (Basheer representing Eranad since 2011), while Abdul Gafoor represents IUML’s younger generation, being the son of a former minister.
| # | Minister | Constituency | Key Portfolios |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | P. K. Kunhalikutty | Malappuram | Industries & Commerce, Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Startups, Mining & Geology, Handlooms & Textiles |
| 2 | N. Samsudheen | Mannarkkad | General Education, Minority Welfare, Waqf & Hajj Affairs |
| 3 | K. M. Shaji | Vengara | Local Self Government (Panchayat, Municipality, Corporation), Rural Development, Town Planning, KILA |
| 4 | P. K. Basheer | Eranad | Public Works (PWD) |
| 5 | V. E. Abdul Gafoor | Kalamassery | Fisheries, Harbour Engineering, Social Justice |
UDF Cabinet Assembly Leadership: Speaker and Deputy Speaker
Following the UDF’s landslide victory in the 2026 Kerala Legislative Assembly election, veteran Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan was elected the 25th Speaker of the 16th Kerala Legislative Assembly on 22 May 2026, securing 101 votes against LDF candidate A. C. Moideen’s 35 and BJP’s B. B. Gopakumar’s 3 — the latter marking the first time the BJP has ever contested the post in Kerala. A four-term MLA from Kottayam and a former Home, Revenue, and Forest minister, Radhakrishnan was escorted to the Speaker’s chair by both CM V. D. Satheesan and Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan.
He succeeded A. N. Shamseer, with CPI leader G. Sudhakaran briefly serving as pro-tem Speaker to administer the oath to newly elected MLAs. Shanimol Osman, the INC MLA from Aroor, was subsequently elected Deputy Speaker on 2 June 2026 with 99 votes to her LDF rival’s 34, in a vote where Speaker Radhakrishnan abstained by convention and the three NDA MLAs stayed out of voting altogether. Her election is historically significant — she becomes only the fourth woman to hold the post in the Assembly’s history and the first in more than three decades, since Bhargavi Thankappan served from 1987 to 1991.
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Join Now!Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the Chief Minister of Kerala in 2026?
V. D. Satheesan (INC) is the Chief Minister of Kerala, sworn in on 18 May 2026 as the 13th person to hold the post. He represents the Paravur constituency in Ernakulam district and also holds the Finance, Law, General Administration, and Planning portfolios in the Kerala Council of Ministers.
Who is the Home Minister of Kerala?
Ramesh Chennithala (INC) is the Home Minister of Kerala in the V. D. Satheesan cabinet, also holding Vigilance, Fire & Rescue Services, Prisons, and Coir. He represents the Haripad constituency in Alappuzha district.
Who is the Finance Minister of Kerala?
Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan himself holds the Finance portfolio in the Kerala Council of Ministers, along with Law, General Administration, and Planning.
