Shailaja’s omission from new Kerala cabinet creates flutter
CPI (M) veteran Pinarayi Vijayan was on Tuesday elected its Parliamentary Party Leader for a second term as Kerala Chief Minister but the omission of health minister KK Shailaja, who played a leading role in the state’s fight against COVID-19, from the new cabinet created a flutter.
Vijayan’s coalition government will have a fresh look with 11 new CPI (M) members, including his son-in-law PA Mohammed Riyas, national president of DYFI, in a reflection of the party’s attempt to infuse fresh blood in the ministry. CPI(M) will have 12 members including Vijayan.
However, Shailaja’s non-inclusion led to a debate and many eyebrows were raised over the matter. Her surprise omission drew instant comparisons with the late KR Gowri Amma, the firebrand Marxist once tipped to head Kerala but never did. However, Shailaja, described as a “rockstar health minister” by a section of international media, said she was not disappointed at being denied berth in the new cabinet. She was, however, made party whip, a CPI(M) statement said here, even as the party insisted that all members except the Chief Minister should be fresh faces in the new cabinet.
Returning to an unprecedented second term in power, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan unveiled his new team, which jettisons all sitting ministers from his CPM, and consists of a mix of youth and experience, besides giving adequate representation to women, caste, communities and religion.
The team consists of three women all first time ministers. They include two from the CPM journalistturned-two-time legislator Veena George, who is the wife of present CPM Secretary A Vijayaraghavan, college professor R Bindu and J Chinchurani, the first woman from the CPI, after the Communist Party split in 1964. The entire team will be sworn in on Thursday here at the Central Stadium by Governor Arif Mohammed Khan at 3.30 pm.
The biggest surprise in the 21-member team was Vijayan showing that he is the ultimate boss, by leaving out even acclaimed Health Minister KK Shailaja as he inducted all new faces. Former Speaker K Radhakrishnan, who now becomes a minister, is from Scheduled Caste community. A minister in the 1996-2001 EK Nayanar cabinet, he was Speaker from 2006-11 when VS Achuthanandan was Chief Minister.
The dark horse in the cabinet is Vijayan’s son-in-law PA Mohammed Riyaz, who is also the national President of the CPM’s youth wing, DYFI.
Riyaz married Vijayan’s daughter Veena Vijayan last year.
It was the second marriage for both. From the Communist Party of India, all four nominees — Chinchurani, P Prasad, GR Anil and K. Rajan — are new faces.
From the Janata Dal-S, there is seasoned veteran K Krishnankutty and from the NCP, it is another veteran AK Saseendran. Both were Ministers in the outgoing Vijayan Cabinet.
New ally Kerala Congress-Mani’s nominee is Roshy Augustine, a fivetime legislator. The party was a member of the Congress-led UDF, before switching over to the LDF last year.
The Speaker’s post has gone to two-time CPM Lok Sabha member MP Rajesh, whose stock fell when he lost the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
The Deputy Speaker’s post has gone to senior CPI legislator Chitayem Gopakumar and the Chief Whip’s post goes to Kerala Congress-M’s four-time legislator N Jayaraj.
Mohammed Riyaz, who is included in the Cabinet, is the son-in-law of Chief Minister
No need for anyone to get emotional: Shailaja
Emerging from the party meeting ousted Shailaja was quiet for a while but finally broke her silence. “It was the CPM which made me a Minister and all what I did during the five year period is not my merit. It was because of the excellent team work. Also it’s not me alone who has been left out. None of my party colleagues who were Ministers has been selected this time. I am sure the new person will be able to perform better than me,” said Shailaja before bidding good bye to the media.