Kerala expects four more Cabinet berths

This does not mean that Kerala would get six more ministers but considering the fact that there are 16 MPs for the UPA from the State including 13 from the Congress, four more ministerial berths are expected.

The induction of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader P Ahmed who represents Malappuram is a foregone conclusion.

Ahmed was minister of state for external affairs in the last ministry despite being the sole representative of the party in the last Lok Sabha. This time, the IUML has got one more MP in the form of E T Mohammed Basheer who won the Ponnani seat.

Among the Congress MPs awaiting the call is former UN diplomat Shashi Tharoor who distinguished himself first as the high command’s choice to contest the elections and then by winning handsomely from Thiruvananthapuram.

Three other ministerial aspirants include Mullapally Ramachandran, Prof K V Thomas and Kodikkunnil Suresh. Ramachandran, a former union minister known to be close to A K Antony had won from the CPM stronghold of Vatakara.

Prof K V Thomas, who won the Ernakulam seat is known to be close to Sonia Gandhi and had even written  a book on her. In fact, the candidature of Prof Thomas who is still an MLA had come as a surprise for even the Congress state leadership. Kodikkunnil Suresh who won the Mavelikkara seat is yet another ministerial aspirant.

Since Cabinet ministers A K Antony and Vayalar Ravi are both Rajya Sabha members and were serving in the last government too, the Congress state leadership is expecting due recognition for the Lok Sabha MPs.

Meanwhile, the role of Antony in ministry expansion is being watched closely by the leaders here.

A section in the party is not too happy about his growing importance in the party’s decision-making process.