CM Vijayan mulls cabinet rejig after Minister becomes MP

Thiruvananthapuram:  With Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan having to find a replacement for the state Minister for SC/ST, K. Radhakrishnan, the only Left candidate to win the Lok Sabha election, talks have started within the CPI(M) for a possible reshuffle of portfolios too.

The decision to do this will be made during a series of CPI(M) leadership meetings in the coming days.

There have been rumblings within the ruling Left, with a section of the CPI — the second biggest ally — unhappy with the style of functioning of CM Vijayan and also the Kerala unit of the RJD coming out in the open.

With the vacancy of Radhakrishnan to be filled, all eyes are on whether CM Vijayan will give that post to the lone RJD nominee, as they have been left out since 2021 when other allies have been accommodated in the cabinet.

In case CM Vijayan decides to fill the vacancy within the CPI(M), the names that have started doing the rounds include O.R. Kelu, a two-time CPI(M) legislator and first-time legislator K. Santhakumari.

Another aspect that’s bothering the CPI(M) is the presence of a JD(S) nominee in the CM Vijayan cabinet, as their national leadership is an ally of the BJP-led NDA and their leader H.D. Kumaraswamy is a cabinet minister in the Narendra Modi government.

The Kerala unit of JD(S) has been given an ultimatum to merge with some other party, if not their nominee will be dropped from the cabinet.

The party is considering juggling portfolios within the CPI(M) ministers, especially Finance, presently handled by first-time legislator K.N. Balagopal.

Also on the radar for a change, which the CPI(M) is planning, is to bring in an experienced politician to handle the Health Ministry, presently handled by Veena George.

Among those names who are likely to replace the two include State Industries Minister P. Rajeeve, State Cooperation Minister V.N. Vasavan, State Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian and also the son-in-law of CM Vijayan, State Tourism Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas.

All this will become clear in the next few days, once the CPI(M) leadership meeting ends.

–IANS