Pinarayi Vijayan to swear-in as Kerala CM today, says people have high hopes of us

Thiruvananthapuram: Pinarayi Vijayan would be sworn-in as Kerala's 22nd chief minister on Wednesday.

The CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) won the polls on Thursday by winning 91 seats in the 140-member Kerala Assembly.

Ahead of the swearing-in ceremony at 4 pm at the Central Stadium here, Kerala Chief Minister-designate Vijayan said that the people have high hopes of the new government.

"Yes, the people of Kerala have high hopes in our new government and we will also rise to the occasion to make that a reality and deliver," said Vijayan, soon after submitting his list of Cabinet ministers to Kerala Governor P Sathasivam.

Vijayan will take oath along with his team of 18 Cabinet ministers.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader had on Tuesday said that his government will have no place for influence peddling and graft.

Vijayan, a man of few words and more known for his tough exterior, had pushed out former chief minister VS Achuthanandan, who was also aiming for the top post.

Achuthanandan, however, had to be content with a ceremonial title of `Kerala`s Fidel Castro` that was bestowed on him by party general secretary Sitaram Yechury, when Vijayan`s name was announced for the top post.

 

"I wish Vijayan and his new government the best to build a new and resurgent Kerala," Achuthanandan said.

The CPI-M led Left Democratic Front swept the May 16 Assembly polls, winning 91 seats in the 140-member Kerala Assembly, showing the door to Oommen Chandy`s Congress-led government that was in power since 2011.

 

The UDF had to contend with numerous allegations like the bar scam and the solar scam, besides suspicious land deals, which caused a huge dent to the image of the Chandy government, even though he took development and growth to a new level.

The major campaign of the LDF was to end the corrupt Chandy government and for that they used all forms of the media and the people also responded positively.

The newspapers on Wednesday carried huge advertisements of Vijayan which listed his top priorities, including women`s safety.