Eight ministers from Malabar found berth in the UDF cabinet

As the Congress-led ‘full cabinet’ takes oath in Kerala on Monday (May 18) after six decades, six northern districts get eight ministerial berths. However, Kozhikode and Kasaragod will not have any representation in the government for the time being. There will be 21 ministers in the cabinet, including the chief minister.

Sunny Joseph (Peravur, Kannur), AP Anil Kumar (Wandoor, Malappuram), T. Siddique (Kalpetta, Wayanad) and KA Thulasi (Kongad, Palakkad) are among the ministers announced by Chief Minister-designate VD Satheesan. The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has announced to hold a meeting with PK Kunhalikuty (Malappuram), KM Shaji (Vengara) and PK Basheer (Eranad). IUML Panakkad state president Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal said that Parakkal Abdulla, who was elected from Kuttiyadi in Kozhikode, will get a ministerial berth after two-and-a-half years. It remains to be seen who will have to vacate their post to make way for Mr Abdullah.

Though the region has a fair representation in VD Satheesan’s cabinet, the absence of Congress candidates from Kozhikode could be a talking point in the coming days. It was widely expected that there would be at least one minister from the district due to the party’s impressive performance in recent elections. Congress did not have an MLA from Kozhikode for more than two decades after the victory of late P. Sankaran (Koyilandy) and A. Sujanapal (then Kozhikode -1) in 2001. This time Congress could win from Kozhikode North, Koyilandy, Nadapuram, Elathur and Balusssery. It was expected that either District Congress Committee President K. Praveenkumar, who won from Koyilandy, or Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee General Secretary K. Jayanth, who emerged victorious, albeit with a narrow majority, from Kozhikode North could get a ministerial berth.

Caste, community and regional equations may have come into play in denying them chances. Likewise, there were reports that IUML’s AKM Ashraf, who won from Manjeswaram in Kasaragod by defeating former BJP state president K. Surendran, could be inducted into the cabinet.

Meanwhile, the elevation of Mr. Siddique, former president of DCC Kozhikode, is seen to ensure representation for both Kozhikode and Wayanad districts. Senior party leader K. Muraleedharan, who was earlier elected to the Lok Sabha from Kozhikode and Vadakara, is another name to be added to the list. He has family ties here and owns a house in the city.

Published – 17 May 2026 21:16 IST