Live Blog: Pinarayi Vijayan takes oath as 22nd Chief Minister of Kerala

Live Blog: Pinarayi Vijayan takes oath as 22nd Chief Minister of Kerala
Live Blog: Pinarayi Vijayan takes oath as 22nd Chief Minister of Kerala
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Pinarayi Vijayan is to be sworn in as the 22nd Chief Minister of Kerala on Wednesday at 4pm, at a ceremony in the Central stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.

Like the 2006 LDF government led by VS Achuthananthan, this LDF government is to have a 19-member cabinet, with Pinarayi holding onto the vigilance, IT and home portfolios.

4.47pm: The swearing-in ceremony ends. LDF government comes to power in Kerala. 

4.44pm: Thomas Issac takes oath as the Finance Minister of Kerala. This is the second time he has been given ministerial berth, that too, with the same portfolio. 

4.42pm: P Thilothaman takes oath as the minister for public distribution. He is a first-time minister an a third-time MLA.

4.40pm: VS Sunil Kumar takes oath as the minister for agriculture. He is a third-time MLA and a first-time minister. 

4.37pm: G Sudhakaran takes oath as the minister for public works. A four-time MLA, this is his second time as a minister. 

4.35pm: A three-time MLA, KK Shailaja takes oath as the minister for health and social welfare. This is the first time she has been given a ministerial berth. 

4.33pm: C Raveendranath takes oath as the educational minister. He is a three-time MLA.

4.30pm: TP Ramakrishan takes oath as the minister for excise and labour. He is a two-time MLA and a first-time minister.

Ramakrishnan, a strongman from Perambra had been in controversy a few years ago as he had left to China soon after TP Chandrasekharan's murder. This VS Achuthanandan loyalist's candidature had been opposed by CPI(M) cadre in the constituency for not supporting the party at the time of crisis. 

4.28pm: CPI member K Raju takes oath as minister for Forest, Wildlife and Environment. 

4.26pm: AC Moideen takes oath as minister for tourism and co-operation. A three-time MLA, this is the first time he has been given a ministerial berth. 

4.23pm: J Mercykutty Amma takes oath as minister for Fisheries. She is a three-time MLA and first-time minister.

4.22pm: Kadakampally Surendran takes oath as minister for electricity and dewaswom.

4.19pm: EP Jayarajan takes oath as minister for industries and sports. 

4.16pm: KT Jaleel takes oath as the minister for local government. He is one among the 13 first-time ministers in this cabinet.

4.13pm: AK Balan takes oath as Culture and Backward Class minister. This is his second time as a cabinet minister.

4.11pm: Kadannapally Ramachandran takes oath. He will handle ports, museum and zoo portfolios. 

4.08pm: AK Saseedharan takes oath as the transport minister. Just before that,  Advocate Mathew P Thomas took oath as water supplies minister. He was the former transport minister. 

4.02pm: CPI member E Chandrasekharan takes oath as the revenue minister.

4.00pm: Pinarayi Vijayan takes the oath of office as the 14th Chief Minister of Kerala. Pinarayi will be in charge of three portfolios including IT, Home and Vigilance. There will be 19 ministers in his cabinet.

3.58pm: Oath-taking ceremony begins; Pinarayi Vijayan called upon to the stage.

3.57pm: Governor P Sathasivam goes on to the dais.

3.55pm: VS Achuthanandan is seated next to CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on the front row. 

3.51pm: JSS leader KR Gowri Amma arrives to attend the event. Pinarayi Vijayan had on Tuesday, visited Gowri Amma at her residence in Alappuzha.

3.48pm: VS Achuthanandan reaches the venue. There was much speculation over whether the senior leader would turn up for the event or not. 

3.43pm: Sitaram Yechury, Prakash Karat and CPI leader Sudhakar Reddy reaches the venue. 

3.40pm: BJP MLA O Rajagopal and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda reaches the venue. 

3.34pm: Former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy reaches the venue, along with IUML leader P K Kunhalikutty.

3.34pm: Actor Mukesh, LDF MLA from Kollam constituency arrives at the venue. 

3.29pm: Pinarayi Vijayan reaches the venue, accompanied by CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. 

3.27pm: Actors Mammootty, Madhu, Dileep and KPAC Lalitha arrives at the venue. 

3.20pm: Pinarayi Vijayan leaves for the Central stadium. 

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