Oommen Chandy to be sworn in as Kerala CM

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Congress veteran Oommen Chandy will be sworn in today as the Chief Minister of Kerala.

The Congress Legislature Party unanimously elected Chandy as its leader on Sunday after Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President Ramesh Chennithala opted out of the race.

Sixty-seven-year-old Chandy, elected for the 10th consecutive time from Puthupally in Kottayam District, will assume office as the 21st chief minister of Kerala.

Chandy, who had replaced A.K. Antony as chief minister in August 2004 after the Congress put up a dismal performance in the 2004 Lok Sabha polls, will take the oath along with leaders of some of the allies.

Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) stalwart V.S. Achuthanandan resigned as Kerala Chief Minister on Saturday, a day after the Left Democratic Front (LDF) led by him lost the Assembly polls by a slender margin.

In Kerala, the United Democratic Front (UDF) won by 72 seats, while the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) bagged 68 seats.