Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy
Kerala Congress President Ramesh Chennithala has reportedly been included in the state cabinet and a formal announcement will be made by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy today.
Mr Chennithala's office has confirmed that he will be taking over the Home Minister's portfolio on January 1.
Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, the present Home Minister, is set to have a change in portfolio, but will remain in the cabinet, sources said.
Mr Chennithala's inclusion in the cabinet, especially his portfolio, has been a bone of contention for some time within the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) coalition. While Chief Minister Chandy had always favoured that move, he reportedly was not keen on giving him the high-profile portfolio.
Sources said that Mr Chennithala, on his part, was willing to drop the demand for the post of Deputy Chief Minister following objections by key ally, Indian Union Muslim League. But the Kerala Congress chief reportedly made it clear that he wouldn't settle for anything less than the Home Minister's portfolio.
While reports of an internal rift within the UDF has been a cause of concern for the Congress what with Lok Sabha elections barely five months away, the recent move to induct Mr Chennithala into the cabinet is being seen as an important fire-fighting strategy.