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Kerala : 'Teacher' Shailaja Left Out Of New Cabinet, CM Pinarayi Faces Flak
Writer: Akshita Mehta
Akshita Mehta is currently pursuing triple majors in Journalism, Psychology, and Literature from Christ Deemed to be University, Bangalore. She believes that sharing the stories of ordinary citizens are a tool to change society.
Kerala, 18 May 2021 2:22 PM GMT | Updated 18 May 2021 2:25 PM GMT
Editor : Ankita Singh |
A literature lover who likes delving deeper into a wide range of societal issues and expresses her opinions about the same. Keeps looking for best-read recommendations while enjoying her coffee and tea.
Creatives : Ankita Singh
A literature lover who likes delving deeper into a wide range of societal issues and expresses her opinions about the same. Keeps looking for best-read recommendations while enjoying her coffee and tea.
KK Shailaja was honoured by several international agencies for her leadership in Kerala's battle against the deadly Nipah virus and the successful Covid-19 prevention activities in the state during the first wave.
KK Shailaja, previously the Minister for Health, Social Justice and Woman and Child Development in the Pinyari led government has been excluded from the Left-led government's new cabinet. The LDF's second-term government finalised the party's candidates for this term on Tuesday.
Shailaja was elected from the Mattannur assembly seat in the recent elections, where she won about 60,000 votes. Her leadership during the Covid-19 was lauded, as it bolstered the healthcare system at the grassroot level.
She was named one of the world's most influential women in 2020 by the Financial Times for her role in the containment of the virus. She had previously worked on the Nipah virus's containment which hit Kerala in 2018.
"No one from the earlier LDF ministry is part of the new ministry except for the Chief Minister. This is our party decision. Only our party has the courage to do so. Many top performers were also not allowed to contest elections. We want new faces," CPI (M) MLA, AN Shamsheer told NDTV.
Prior to the elections, Pinayari said that MLAs who have run and won twice would not be granted a third ticket and that no minister will be repeated.
The other ministers from CPI (M) are MV Govindan, K Radhakrishnan, KN Balagopal, P Rajeev, VN Vasavan, Saji Cherian, V Shivankutty, Mohammed Riyas, Dr R Bindhu, Veena George and V Abdul Rahman. TP Ramakrishnan, a senior leader, has been appointed Parliamentary Party Secretary.
PA Mohamad Riyas, son-in-law of the Chief Minister is also among the new cabinet members. A 21-member cabinet will be sworn in by Kerala's second Pinarayi Vijayan government on May 20.
The new Cabinet will include two women legislators – Thrissur Mayor R Bindu and Veena George. After the CPM released the list of the cabinet with all the ministers from the party being freshers, except for Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, it faced criticism from its supporters as well as from the public.
Also Read: 270 Doctors Succumbed To COVID-19 In Second Wave: Indian Medical Association
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