LAST WEEK WAS QUITE a turning point in Kerala’s political history. To begin with, a chief minister who completed a full term took oath for the second consecutive time—a first. It also saw the end of a four-decadelong practice of exchanging power between the Congress-led United Democratic Front and the CPI(M)led Left Democratic Front. And then, the Congress high command demolished the age-old groupism in the party in a single sweep.
It all started with Pinarayi Vijayan taking oath as chief minister on May 20 for the second consecutive time. Along with him, 20 were sworn in as ministers; 17 of them are first-timers. The average age of the cabinet is 59—Pinarayi is the oldest at 76, and Health Minister Veena George is the youngest at 44. And for the first time, the state has three women ministers—R. Bindu as higher education minister and J. Chinchu Rani as minister for animal husbandry, dairy development and milk cooperatives, apart from George, a former TV journalist.
The state had enjoyed a political duopoly since 1982—the year the UDF and LDF had taken shape—with the two fronts alternately coming to power. But with the formation of the second LDF government, a new chapter has begun.
Bu hikaye THE WEEK dergisinin June 06, 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye THE WEEK dergisinin June 06, 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.
Trump and the crisis of liberalism
Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.
Men eye the woman's purse
A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.
When trees hold hands
A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges
Ms Gee & Gen Z
The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.
Superman bites the dust
When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.
