THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: LDF allies have initiated discussions on the formation of the new ministry and names of probable ministers here on Saturday . The CPM state secretariat will finalise the party’s ministers on Sunday. Ahead of the Secretariat meeting, the three politburo members from the state Pinarayi Vijayan, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and M.A. Baby will formalise the names for ministerial berths.
Sources said that almost all Secretariat members who won the Assembly polls will be inducted into the Cabinet. They incude Dr T.M. Thomas Isaac, E.P. Jayarajan, A.K. Balan, K.K. Shylaja, M.M. Mony, T.P. Ramakrishnan. S. Sarma and J. Mercykutty Amma could be considered if V.S. Achuthanandan threw his weight behind them.
G. Sudhakaran, C. Raveendranath, Kadakampally Surendran, P. Sreeramakrishnan, M. Swaraj, A.C. Moitheen, K.T. Jaleel, Raju Abraham, Suresh Kurup and Aisha Potti are also in the contention for a seat.
CPM and CPI leaders have agreed to keep the number of ministers to 19. They are also exploring the possibility of doing away with the post of Government Chief Whip. However, a final decision on the number of ministers for each constituent and the size of the Cabinet would be taken at the LDF state committee meeting on Sunday.
The CPI executive committee decided to seek five ministerial berths this time. In 2011, the party had four ministers. In the preliminary discussions the following names came up; E. Chandrashekharan who is also being tipped to be the legislature party leader, V.S. Sunil Kumar, P. Thilothaman, K. Raju and E.S. Bijimol. C. Divakaran, Mullakara Ratnakaran and Mohammad Mohsin are also in the reckoning.
Those who are currently LDF alliance partners would get berth including Kadanapally Ramachandran of the Congress S. From NCP it could be either Thomas Chandy or A.K. Saseendran. Mathew T. Thomas looks to be the front runner from Janata Dal (S).
Earlier, Pinarayi Vijayan said that the swearing in ceremony of LDF government would be held on May 25 at the Central stadium. “All talks regarding ministerial berth for each alliance partner would be discussed at the LDF state committee meeting,” he said.
