With induction of Shashi Tharoor, Kodikkunnil Suresh, Kerala gets record presence at Centre

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the induction of Shashi Tharoor and Kodikkunnil Suresh in the Union Council of Ministers today, Kerala's representation at the Centre has gone up to eight, the highest ever for the state.

Out of the eight ministers, seven are from the Congress, including Cabinet Ministers A K Antony and Vayalar Ravi.

E Ahamed, Minister of State for External Affairs, belongs to Indian Union Muslim League, a long-time ally of the Congress in the state as well as at the Centre.

K V Thomas, Mullapally Ramachandran and K C Venugopal are the other Central ministers from Kerala apart from the newly inducted members.

Keralites who are playing important roles at the Centre also include Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P J Kurien and Congress spokesperson P C Chacko, who is Chairman of the JPC on the 2G spectrum issue as well.

In today's cabinet shuffle, the state capital has achieved sort of a double gain. While Tharoor represents Thiruvananthapuram in the Lok Sabha, Suresh belongs to a village here.

He has, however, been elected from Mavelikkara in the Central Travancore region.