O R Kelu sworn in as minister in Kerala government

O R Kelu was sworn in as a minister in the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front government in Kerala on Sunday.

He took oath from Governor Arif Mohammed Khan at the Raj Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other senior politicians were present.

A native of Wayanad, Kelu is the second minister in Kerala from the scheduled tribe community after Congress's P K Jayalakshmi, who was a minister in the previous Congress government led by Oommen Chandy.

Kelu is replacing Devaswom and SC and ST welfare minister K Radhakrishnan, who resigned from cabinet on being elected to the Lok Sabha. Kelu will be given the SC and ST welfare portfolio only.

Even as the BJP and some tribal outfits criticised the decision not to give Devaswom portfolio to Kelu, the two-time MLA told a section of media that he was a first time minister and hence it would be difficult for him to handle more portfolios.