Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Government on Wednesday published the portfolio allocation of the new UDF Cabinet in an Extraordinary Gazette notification issued by the Governor under Rule 5 of the Rules of Business of the Government of Kerala.

According to the notification, Chief Minister V D Satheesan will handle key departments, including Finance, Law and Ports, while senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has been given the influential Home and Vigilance portfolios — departments traditionally held by the Chief Minister in Kerala governments.

The UDF government submitted the portfolio allocation for the new 21-member Cabinet in Kerala to Governor Rajendra Arlekar after days of intense negotiations and uncertainty.

IUML heavyweight P K Kunhalikutty has been allotted the Industries and IT portfolios. A P Anil Kumar was given the Revenue department, and Sunny Joseph was given the Electricity department, along with Parliamentary Affairs. Muslim League leader V E Abdul Gafoor received the Fisheries portfolio.

The portfolio allocation involved internal bargaining within the Congress and the IUML, particularly after strong objections from the Latin Catholic Church to the community's lack of Cabinet representation and the move to hand over the Fisheries portfolio to the IUML.

Ministers and portfolios

1. V D Satheesan – Chief Minister; Finance, National Savings, Stores Purchase, Commercial Taxes, Agricultural Income Tax, Treasuries, Lotteries, State Audit, Kerala State Financial Enterprises, State Insurance, Kerala Financial Corportion, Stamps and Stamp Duties, Ports, Law, Planning and Economic Affairs, General Administration, All India Services, Science, Technology, Pollution Control, Scienctific Institutes, Personel and Administrtion Reforms, Election, Integration, Saink Welfare, Distress Relief, State Hospitality, Administration of Civil & Criminal Justice, Airports, Metro Rail, Inter-State River Waters, Coastal Shipping and Inland Navigation, Kerala State Inland Navigation Corporation, Information and Public Relations, Printing and Stationery, Welfare of Minorities, All Important Policy Matters, Subjects not mentioned elsewhere
2. Ramesh Chennithala – Home, Vigilance, Fire and Rescue Services, Prisons & Coir
3. A P Anil Kumar – Land and Revenue, Survey and Land Records, Land Reforms
4. Sunny Joseph – Electricity, Environment, Parliamentary Affairs
5. K Muraleedharan – Health, Devaswoms, Medical Education, Medical University, Indigenous Medicine, Ayush and Drug Control, Food Safety
6. P K Kunhalikutty – Industries & Commerce, Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Startups, Mining and Geology, Handlooms & Textiles
7. Mons Joseph – Irrigation, CADA, Groundwater Department, Water Supply & Sanitation, Housing
8. Shibu Baby John – Forests, Wild Protection, Skill Development (KASE)
9. Anoop Jacob – Food & Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs, Legal Metrology
10. C P John – Transport, Motor Vehicles, Water Transport
11. N Samsudheen – General Education, Literacy Movement, Hajj, Wakf & Minority Development
12. P C Vishnunadh – Tourism, Culture, KSFDC, Chalachithra Academy, Cultural Activists Welfare Fund Board
13. Roji M John –Higher Education, Technical Education, Universities (Except Agriculture, Veterinary, Fisheries, Medical and Digital Universities), Entrance Examination, National Cadet Corps, ASAP
14. Bindhu Krishna – Labour, Dairy Development & Milk Co-operatives, Women & Child Care
15. M Liju –Cooperation and Excise
16. K M Shaji – Panchayath, Municipality, Corporation, Town Planning, Rural Development, Regional Development Authorities, KILA
17. P K Basheer – Public Works Department
18. V E Abdul Gafoor – Fisheries, Harbour Engineering, Social Justice
19. T Siddique – Agriculture, Soil Survey & Soil Conservation, Kerala Agricultural University, Warehousing Corporation
20. K A Thulasi – Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward classes
21. O J Janeesh – Sports, Youth Affairs, Zoo, Museum, Registration, Archaeology, Archives

The portfolio allocation marks the first major political balancing act for the Satheesan government after the UDF’s sweeping victory in the Assembly elections, where the alliance secured 102 of the 140 seats and ended the LDF’s decade-long rule in Kerala.

Beyond administrative considerations, the Cabinet formation also reflected the Congress leadership’s efforts to balance regional representation, caste and community equations, generational change and factional interests within the party, while accommodating coalition partners such as the IUML, Kerala Congress factions, RSP and CMP.