IUML bags 4, Mani gets 2 in Oomen Chandy cabinet

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The Congress and allies have finally clinched a 20-member cabinet, adopting the portfolio sharing formula of the previous United Democratic Front ministries, with a few exceptions.

Besides the Chief Minister, Congress will have nine Cabinet berths, the Indian Union Muslim League four, Kerala Congress (M) two, the Socialist Janata Democratic one, and Kerala Congress (Jacob), Kerala Congress (Pillai) and Kerala RSP (B) one each.

The portfolios are as follows: Mr K.M. Mani gets finance, law and housing, Mr P.J. Joseph water resources, the Muslim League industry, PWD, education, local self-government and social welfare, Mr K.P. Mohanan (SJD) agriculture and animal husbandry, Mr T .M. Jacob ( KC-Jacob) food and civil supplies and ports, Mr K.B. Ganesh Kumar (KC-Pillai) tourism and Mr Shibu Baby John ( RSP-B) labour and employment.

The Congress has given up food and tourism. Ports held by CMP earlier has been given to KC ( Jacob), while the latter gave up water resources to KC (M). The swearing-in will be held at Raj Bhavan Wednesday 2 pm. The Governor, Mr R.S, Gavai, will administer the oath of office and secrecy to Mr Oommen Chandy and the coalition leaders.

The remaining Congress nominees will be sworn in on May 23 after the Congress high command clears their names.

Chandy's men

*Oommen Chandy: 67-year-old Oommen Chandy who heads the 38 member Congress legislature party, is shouldering the onerous task of running a Government with a slender majority of four MLAs. He was the CM from 2004 September to 2006 May and his two year stint in the top office marked many new initiatives in state's infrastructure, IT and social sectors. Chandy who began his electoral career in 1970, won the Puthupally constituency for the tenth consecutive time.

*K.M. Mani: 78-year-old K.M. Mani heads the nine-member Kerala Congress legislature party in the Assembly. Mani who began his electoral battle from Pala in 1965, has won from the same constituency for the twelfth consecutive time. Mani has played a key role as member of the treasury and opposition benches.

*P.K. Kunhalikutty: 60-year-old P.K. Kunhalikutty who is battling a major controversy at present, heads the 20 member strong Indian Union Muslim League legislature party. Elected six times to the Assembly, Kunhalikutty began his political career as a leader of the MSF.

*T.M. Jacob: 61-year-old T.M. Jacob is the lone member of Kerala Congress (Jacob) in the state assembly. Jacob who became a MLA in 1977 has successfully contested eight elections from Piravom and Kothamangalam respectively. This time he scraped through by 157 votes proving yet again that he is a great survivor.

*K.P. Mohanan: K.P. Mohanan, 60, son of late socialist leader P.R. Kurup is part of the two member Socialist Janata Dal legislature party. He won the Koothuparamba constituency in Kannur by a margin of 3303 votes. Mohanan became an MLA in 1991 and next two consecutive elections.

*K.B. Ganesh Kumar: 45-year-old K.B. Ganesh Kumar is the lone member of Kerala Congress (Pillai). He won the Pathanapuram constituency for the third consecutive time with a margin of 20402 votes. Ganesh was the minister of transport in Antony Government from March 2001 to May 2003.

*Shibu Baby John: 47-year-old Shibu Baby John is the son of RSP stalwart and former minister late Baby John. He is currently the general secretary of Kerala revolutionary Socialist party (B) which has influence in Kollam district. This is the second time that he won from Chavara constituency.

He trounced Irrigation Minister N K Premachandran by a margin of 6061 votes. A Btech from TKM Engineering College, Shibu ventured into export business after studies.

He started taking active part in politics after his father Baby John was taken ill. After Baby John's death , Shibu plunged into politics as a full time worker.