Keralam CM Satheesan Announces Free Bus Travel for Women, ASHA Pay Hike

Keralam CM VD Satheesan's first Cabinet meeting: Free KSRTC travel for women, Rs 3,000 hike for ASHA workers

Thiruvananthapuram, May 18

The cabinet also constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate alleged attacks on Congress leaders during the Nava Kerala Yatra, led by former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in 2023.

The Chief Minister said the Cabinet approved a Rs 3,000 monthly increase in the honorarium of ASHA workers, fulfilling a promise made during their prolonged protest outside the Secretariat.

He further announced a Rs 1,000 monthly hike for Anganwadi workers and helpers, school cooking staff, pre-primary teachers and ayahs.

"The first Cabinet meeting to bring Indira guarantees given by UDF - a free bus journey in KSRTC buses from 15th June. We are going to constitute a new department for old aged persons. The Cabinet has decided to increase to payment to Asha workers by Rs 3000," CM Satheesan said.

Ending a ten-year hiatus, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) officially assumed power in Keralam this morning. In a grand, packed ceremony held at the Central Stadium in the state capital, 61-year-old VD Satheesan took the oath of office and secrecy as the state's 13th Chief Minister.

This morning, at a grand ceremony at the Central Stadium in the State capital, after a rendition of the Vande Mataram and the Jana Mana Gana, Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office and secrecy to 61-year-old Satheesan and his entire cabinet of ministers in a stadium that was packed, with spectators lining the road to the stadium.

In a post on X, CM Satheesan wrote, "Team UDF officially took charge today at the swearing-in ceremony held at Central Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram. United by purpose and committed to the people, we will work together tirelessly for the welfare, progress, and inclusive development of Keralam. With the support and blessings of the people, we begin this new journey with hope and responsibility."

Satheesan, born in Nettoor in the Ernakulam district to Damodara Menon, took the oath in the name of God. In the 2026 Assembly election, Satheesan emerged victorious for the sixth consecutive time from the Paravur Assembly constituency.

Along with Satheesan, the Keralam Governor also swore in 20 ministers, which included 14 first-time ministers, two women and two representatives from the Scheduled Caste community. Congress had 11 ministers; its main ally, the Indian Union Muslim League, which won 22 Assembly seats, had 5 ministers; the Kerala Congress (Joseph), the Kerala Congress (Jacob), the Revolutionary Socialist Party and the Communist Marxist Party had one minister each in the new cabinet.

The UDF has also decided to appoint senior legislator Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan as Speaker of the Assembly, while Shanimol Usman will serve as Deputy Speaker, Satheesan said in a press conference held yesterday.

The Assembly elections to the 140-member House were held on April 9, with results declared on May 4. The Congress-led UDF won 102 seats, the LDF secured 35, and the BJP won 3.

Meanwhile, at the oath ceremony, after Satheesan, Governor Arlekar administered the oath of office and secrecy to PK Kunahillikutty, the Malappuram MLA, who, at 74 years, is the oldest minister in Satheesan's cabinet. The senior-most leader of the IUML, Kunhalikutty, a nine-time MLA, had begun his political journey as a 27-year-old.

He has held the Industries portfolio in almost every UDF government over the last three decades. He served as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the previous Keralam assembly (2021-2026) and has also been a Member of Parliament.

The eight-time MLA from different constituencies in the Malappuram district, Kunhalikutty, handled Industries and Social Welfare from 1991 to 1996; was Minister for Industries and Municipalities from 1995 to 1996, and Minister for Industries, IT, and Social Welfare from 2001 to 2004 in two AK Antony-led governments in the State. He was also Minister for Industries, IT, and Social Welfare from 2004 to 2005, and Minister for IT and Industries from 2011 to 2016.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first to greet Satheesan. "Congratulations to Shri VD Satheesan Ji on taking oath as the Chief Minister of Keralam. My best wishes for his tenure. The Central Government assures all possible support for the newly formed Keralam Government in fulfilling the aspirations of the people," the PM said in a message on X.

Union Minister V. Muraleedharan said, "The Chief Minister had over the phone invited me. I offered him my best wishes, and today I offer the best for the entire cabinet. I have also assured that we will work together for the welfare of Kerala. And wherever there are issues, policy issues are there regarding any issue of disagreement; we will raise them very vociferously inside and outside. But at today's oath-taking, there is no such convention that all the opposition legislators attend the oath-taking ceremony... I have seen Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking the oath at least three times. Congress used to be represented by the Congress president, at the most, Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi--nobody else. It's the same thing, that's all. It's not required that all the MLAs of the BJP will go and be present there for the oath-taking ceremony of a Congress Chief Minister..."

RSP leader and MP, NK Premachandran said, "It is a historic moment as far as Keralam is concerned. After 10 years of misrule by the CPI(M) and the LDF, a historic success was achieved by the UDF with 102 seats and the jubilant mood was seen during the swearing-in ceremony also... We will provide the best governance... Our first priority is to fulfil the commitments we made to the public... More than 1 lakh people participated in the ceremony, which is in itself a history..."

State BJP Chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar says, "The CM invited me to attend the swearing in and I am very happy to represent my party and all the people who supported us. Happy to be here."

— ANI