Kerala Cabinet filled with debutants, including CM

Thiruvananthapuram, May 18 (UNI) The 19-member Cabinet that assumed office in Kerala today is dominated by first-time Ministers.

Chief Minister V S Achutanandan is a first-time entrant to the Cabinet. Following are the profiles of his colleagues.

KODIYERI BALAKRISHNAN (53): CPI(M) Central Committee Member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan is seen as the most powerful Minister in the Cabinet.

He is a close confidant of Party State Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan.

He has got plum portfolios in the Cabinet. Mr Balakrishnan, who represents Thallassery, a Left bastion for about four decades, defeated his nearest rival Rajmohan Unnithan of the Congress by a margin of 10,055 votes. This is his first stint as Minister.

Even during electioneering there were rumours that this second foremost leader in the Opposition was going to be a Minister if the Left Democratic Front came to power.

Born on November 16, 1953 to Kunhunni Kurup and Narayani Amma, he entered politics through the Students Federation of India. He served as State Secretary of the SFI (1973-79) and Joint Secretary, SFI National Committee; Secretary, CPI (M) Kannur District Committee.

He underwent 16 months' imprisonment during the Emergency.

He was earlier elected to the Assembly in 1982, 1987 and 2001.

PALOLI MOHAMMED KUTTY (75):- A hardcore Marxist, Mr Paloli Mohammed Kutty is the Left Democratic Front Convener. Mr Mohammed Kutty reached the Assembly after winning in Ponnani by a huge margin of 27,347 votes.

Mr Kutty, before entering the Kerala Assembly in 1965 from Mankada, was Puzhakkattiri Panchayat President. He has represented Mankada (1965) Perinthalmanna (1967) and Ponnani (1996) seats.

He was Local Administration Minister in the Nayanar Cabinet (1996-2001) and one of the architects of the People's Plan Campaign.

Born on November 11, 1931, Mr Kutty was interested in politics even while he was a student. He joined the CPI(M) in 1951 and became the Palakkad District Committee member in 1958.

Later when Malappuram district was formed, he shifted his political activity to this district. Mr Kutty who had always believed in peasant uprising, actively participated in the farmer's movement and had served as State Secretary and President of Kerala Karshaka Sangom at different periods for 15 years.

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