Veena George likely to succeed KK Shailaja as Kerala Health Minister

Journalist-turned-politician Veena George is likely to succeed outgoing KK Shailaja as Kerala’s next Health Minister. According to reports, a formal announcement will be made soon.

Shailaja, who was praised globally for her handling of the Covid crisis, was among five CPI(M) ministers from the previous government who won in the Assembly elections but were kept out of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s 21-member Cabinet. The decision had raised eyebrows within party circles, especially among the central leadership since it was widely believed in the run-up to government formation that she would be exempted from the newcomers norm.

Meanwhile, Shailaja has been elected as the party’s Whip.

Veena, 44, is likely to be the youngest minister in the Vijayan Cabinet who would be sworn-in on Thursday, May 20. She began her political career as an activist of the Students Federation of India (SFI), which is the student wing of CPI(M). She won the April 6 Assembly elections from the Aranmula constituency of Pathanamthitta district.

Besides Veena, two other women legislators, R Bindu, wife of CPI(M) acting secretary A Vijayaraghavan who won from Irinjalakuda in Thrissur and CPI’s senior leader and Chadayamangalam MLA J Chinchu Rani, are also likely to become part of the new cabinet.