Thiruvananthapuram, May 14 (IANS) With the suspense over Kerala’s next Chief Minister finally ending, the Congress-led UDF has now shifted focus from political firefighting to power transition, with Chief Minister designate V.D. Satheesan scheduled to be sworn in on Monday in what is expected to be a grand show of coalition unity and political consolidation.

With the issue of Chief Minister of the state settled, hectic discussions began within the UDF over the composition of the new ministry.

According to highly placed sources, efforts are underway to ensure that all 20 ministers are sworn in alongside Satheesan, departing from the possibility of a staggered Cabinet expansion and instead opting for a full-scale political launch on day one.

Traditionally in Kerala, leaders of coalition allies are sworn in together with the Chief Minister during the inaugural ceremony.

However, the Congress leadership appears keen to avoid even the slightest impression of lingering uncertainty after the delay in finalising the chief ministerial face.

The message the UDF wants to send is unmistakable, the turbulence is over, the government is ready and the coalition is united.

Sources said intense consultations are continuing between the Congress leadership and key allies, including the Indian Union Muslim League and Kerala Congress factions, over portfolio allocation and ministerial representation.

While the broad power sharing formula has largely been settled, discussions are still on regarding certain high profile departments and regional balancing within the Cabinet.

The Congress leadership is also aware that after securing a massive mandate of 102 seats, expectations for a smooth and stable start are exceptionally high.

Any delay in Cabinet formation, party insiders admit privately, could revive unnecessary speculation at a time when the coalition wants to project decisiveness and administrative readiness.

IUML supremo Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said, “With V.D. Satheesan being announced as the new Chief Minister, we express our gratitude for the decision. From the very beginning, we had made it clear that we would abide by the decision of the AICC leadership.”

“This government will function as a true ‘Team UDF’ administration for the next five years. The AICC high command is the final decision-making authority and it went through a democratic process of extensive discussions before arriving at this decision.

“The leadership also held consultations with allies like us on more than one occasion.

We will now hold discussions within the party and decide on our ministerial representatives,” said Thangal.

For Satheesan, Monday’s ceremony will mark more than a personal political milestone.

It will symbolically signal the transfer of power after years of relentless attacks on the Left government.

If the current plan materialises, the new Chief Minister may well walk into office not alone, but flanked by an entire Cabinet, a carefully choreographed image of a coalition eager to prove that governance can finally begin.

–IANS

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