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Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) MLA VE Abdul Gafoor on Monday said he was honoured to be inducted into the VD Satheesan-led Keralam Cabinet and assured that he would carry out whatever responsibility is assigned to him with full commitment.
Abdul Gafoor, who was elected to the Assembly for the first time, is among the ministers set to take oath at the swearing-in ceremony scheduled to be held at 10 am at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. "I am really honoured to get this position. I have been elected to the Assembly for the first time. Whatever portfolio is given, we will do it with full commitment. We all will be working together to achieve the goal that we share," Abdul Gafoor told ANI ahead of the ceremony. Another IUML MLA, N Samsudheen, who is also set to take oath as minister, said, "Today I am going to take a new charge. For the last 15 years, I was a member of the legislative Assembly. It is a new team." Meanwhile, senior Congress leaders and dignitaries from across the country continued to arrive in Thiruvananthapuram to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister-designate VD Satheesan. Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi arrived in Thiruvananthapuram to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the Keralam government led by Chief Minister-designate VD Satheesan. Congress MP KC Venugopal, Congress leader Deepa Dasmunsi and VD Satheesan were present at the airport to receive the visiting leaders. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who arrived in the state to attend the ceremony, said the Congress-led alliance returning to power after a decade was a matter of joy. "In Kerala, we have returned to power after ten years. It is a matter of great joy. Undoubtedly, when a new government takes office, new schemes are introduced," Sukhu told the media. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar also left Bengaluru to attend the oath-taking ceremony. Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala also left from his residence ahead of taking oath as minister in the new Cabinet. Earlier, Chennithala had said that he would take charge of the Home portfolio in the incoming government and asserted that the new administration would implement the five guarantees announced by Rahul Gandhi during the Assembly election campaign. Satheesan is set to take oath as the Chief Minister of Keralam at 10 am along with his full Council of Ministers, marking the return of the United Democratic Front (UDF) to power after the end of the Left Democratic Front's (LDF) 10-year rule. The 20-member Cabinet includes senior Congress leaders Ramesh Chennithala, K Muraleedharan and KPCC chief Sunny Joseph, along with IUML leaders PK Kunhalikutty, PK Basheer, N Samsudheen, KM Shaji and VE Abdul Gafoor. Other ministers in the Cabinet are Mons Joseph, Shibu Baby John, Anoop Jacob, CP John, AP Anil Kumar, T Siddique, PC Vishnunath, Roji M John, Bindu Krishna, M Liju, KA Thulasi and O J Janeesh. The UDF secured a landslide victory in the 2026 Keralam Assembly elections, winning 102 seats in the 140-member House. The Congress emerged as the single-largest party with 63 seats, while the IUML secured 22 seats. The LDF won 35 seats, while the BJP managed to win three constituencies. (ANI)
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