VD Satheesan to Take Oath as Kerala CM on May 18; Rahul, Kharge to Attend

With the Congress finally picking VD Satheesan as Chief Minister of Kerala post the UDF's electoral win, the swearing-in ceremony is to take place in Thiruvananthapuram on May 18.

According to sources on Sunday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party leader Rahul Gandhi will be present at the swearing-in ceremony in Thiruvananthapuram on May 18.

Wayanad MP and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will also be present, according to party sources.

The attendance of Sonia Gandhi, the head of the Congress Parliamentary Party, was not confirmed.

Satheesan has previously stated that leaders from other states will be invited to the ceremony by the national leadership.

All chief ministers of Congress-ruled states -- Karnataka, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh -- will also attend.

The party has also invited Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay, but a confirmation from him is awaited.

Satheesan will take oath along with his Cabinet at the ceremony, which will begin at 10 am at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, party leaders said.

Satheesan has been meeting various prominent personalities since the AICC announced him as the next chief minister of the state.

The Chief Minister designate will meet Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, the head of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, on Sunday. After a brief interaction with clerics, he accompanied the Cleemis to the dining room, where they held discussions after being served tea. After spending around 30 minutes, they met the reporters together.

Satheesan on Saturday also met senior Congress leader K C Venugopal at his residence here and dismissed reports of differences between them, even as discussions on cabinet formation continued.