Thiruvananthapuram: The new LDF government led by Mr Pinarayi Vijayan assumed office amidst a massive gathering of jubilant party workers and others at the central stadium here on Wednesday.
Governor P. Sathasivam administered the oath of office and secrecy to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and 18 ministers, 14 of them new faces.
Mr Mathew T. Thomas, Mr K.T. Jaleel and Mr Ramachandran Kadannappally took the oath in the name of God while the others made solemn affirmation.
The stadium behind the secretariat was painted red with pink backdrops and a sea of LDF supporters holding aloft red banners. Many of them had the slogan, “LDF will come, everything will be all right” printed on their shirts. Some sported umbrellas with the same slogan, while others had the image of Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara on their shirts.
Veteran CPM leader V.S. Achuthanandan topped the list of VIPs at the ceremony and he stole the show as the crowd gave him the loudest applause while he was ushered on to the venue.
He was flanked by CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury and outgoing chief minister Oommen Chandy. Seated next was former prime minister Deve Gowda.
Mammootty, AMMA president Innocent, MP, Dileep and MLA-designate Mukesh represented the film fraternity.
When the visual of the senior leader arriving at the site was telecast through CCTVs erected at various places in the stadium and outside, the activists shouted slogans in support of him.
Among others present were KPAC Lalitha, Madhu, star-turned MLAs Mukesh and K.B. Ganeshkumar, actor-director Madhupal and directors Renjith, Shaji Kailas, Renji Panicker, CPM politburo members Prakash Karat, M.A. Baby, JSS leader K.R. Gowri Amma, IUML leader P.K. Kunhalikutty, Kerala Congress leader P.J. Joseph, BJP leader O. Rajagopal MLA, CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran, CPI leaders Pannyan Raveendran and C. Divakaran and CPM fellow traveller Cherian Philip.
When the Governor invited Mr Pinarayi Vijayan for the swearing-in, he greeted Mr Achuthanandan and all others present in the front row of the VVIP gallery and also waved to the crowd with a smile before going to the stage.
A huge pandal which could accommodate over 30,000 persons was put up at the stadium. A slight drizzle before the ceremony failed to hamper the spirits of the party workers who had arrived in large numbers in buses and other vehicles from various parts of the state, especially the northern districts of Kasargod, Kannur and Kozhikode, to witness the function which began at 4 p.m.
In 2006 also, the swearing-in of the then LDF ministers under chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan was held at the central stadium.
