Reshuffle in Pinarayi cabinet; M M Mani gets Electricity

Thiruvananthapuram: In a surprise move, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who completes six months in office next week, on Sunday inducted trade union leader M.M. Moni into the cabinet as the Electricity Minister.

The swearing in of Moni is expected to take place Tuesday evening.

A first time legislator and a state Secretariat member of the Communist Party of India-Marxist, Moni told the media that he was happy to have been given more responsibilities and would do his best.

Ever since the resignation of Industries Minister E.P. Jayarajan, the number two in the Vijayan cabinet, after he allegedly appointed relatives in the government, the portfolio was handled by Vijayan.

The fresh decision came at the end of three days of party meetings of the CPI-M. The portfolios of two other ministers were also shifted.

Kadanapally Surendran, who was the Electricity Minister, will now get the Cooperation and Youth Affairs portfolio, which was held by A.C. Moideen, who becomes the new Industries Minister.