Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will be the only old face in his new government.
Weeks after sweeping back to power in Kerala, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) today revealed a whole new set of ministers-in-waiting with none from the earlier Pinarayi Vijayan team, except the Chief Minister himself, getting a second term. While even Health Minister KK Shailaja, who earned plaudits for her remarkable role during multiple crises, has lost out, CPIM leader PA Mohammad Riyas, Mr Vijayan's son-in-law, has been named in the new list.
The new team has three women -- Dr R Bindu, Chinchu Rani, and Veena George -- one more than the last time. Dr Bindhu, the former Thrissur Mayor, is also the CPM State Secretary K Vijayraghavan's wife.
Overall, there are 20 new ministers, excluding the Chief Minister. Of these, 12 are from the CPIM and four of the CPI.
Thrithala MLA and former Palakkad parliamentarian, MB Rajesh, has been named for the Assembly Speaker's post. Chittayam Gopakumar of the CPI will be the deputy speaker.
The absence of stalwarts such as Ms Shailaja, former finance minister Thomas Issac, and former power minister MM Mani has sparked mixed feelings even among ardent supporters of the LDF despite the fact that a completely "new look" government was hinted at earlier itself.
Ms Shailaja, popularly referred to as 'Shailaja Teacher', is already being missed in particular. Having successfully led the state's defences during the Nipah viral breakout and then the COVID-19 pandemic till now, she won the Mattanur constituency in north Kerala with a handsome 60,000-plus majority in the election held last month.
Social media memes cited examples of stalwart woman leaders from the past, like KR Gowri Amma and Susheela Gopalan, to allege that Ms Shailaja may be getting sidelined owing, again, to her gender.
When asked about her exclusion, she told NDTV: "It is a policy decision. I was also a newcomer last time. None of those from the previous term are in this time."
Referring to the battle against Covid, she told reporters that it wasn't fought by her alone and that it was a team effort.
"I'm completely satisfied. The party made me a minister once. I carried out that responsibility to the best of my ability. I am hopeful that the newcomers will do even better," she told reporters.
Yet, the discontent over Ms Shailaja's departure was palpable.
The former Health Minister's exclusion jarred many particularly when compared to the inclusion of Mr Riyas in the new government after he won the Beypore constituency by around 29,000 votes.
Married to T Veena Vijayan, the Chief Minister's daughter, Mr Riyas's 'promotion' has sparked murmurs even though he has been a long-time grass root worker of the CPIM and a popular spokesperson for the party on Malayalam news media.
Mr Riyas has been the national president of the Democratic Youth Federation of India since even before 2017 and had contested Parliamentary elections way back in 2011. He has also been the CPIM state secretariat member for the past five years.