THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress-led UDF returned to office in Kerala after a decade as six-term MLA VD Satheesan took oath as CM before a roaring crowd at Thiruvananthapuram’s Central Stadium Monday and signalled a sharp political reset through a string of welfare measures, administrative changes and a fresh probe into a politically sensitive assault case linked to former CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s Nava Kerala Yatra in 2023.Satheesan moved swiftly to stamp authority on administration and underline UDF’s welfare-first pitch.First cabinet meeting cleared free travel for women in KSRTC buses from June 15, a Rs 3,000 increase in ASHA workers’ honorarium and creation of a separate department for senior citizens, which CM described as a first-of-its-kind initiative in country.“The protection of senior citizens is essential for building a civilised society,” Satheesan said at his first press conference as chief minister. Govt also announced a white paper on Kerala’s financial health through an expert committee comprising officials and financial specialists.In another politically loaded move, cabinet ordered a reinvestigation into assault on Youth Congress and KSU activists by gunmen attached to Vijayan during Nava Kerala Yatra in Alappuzha after black-flag protests in Dec 2023.Satheesan said an SIT would probe the case, accusing previous govt of dragging feet despite court directions for reinvestigation.Cabinet also replaced top legal officers, appointing T Asaf Ali as DG of prosecution in place of TA Shaji and Jaju Babu as advocate general, replacing K Gopalakrishna Kurup.Satheesan, 61, was joined by a 20-member ministry that included PK Kunhalikutty, Ramesh Chennithala, Sunny Joseph, K Muraleedharan and KA Thulasi, who took oath last.
