Kerala Cabinet expansion next week

New Delhi, May 20 (ANI): Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy held discussions with Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Friday and submitted a draft list of lawmakers likely to be included as ministers in the Congress led UDF government in the state.

Chandy is also slated to meet Defence Minister A K Antony.

The name of the speaker will also be finalised in the coming days.

Meanwhile, despite repeated requests from different quarters, KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala has said that he will not be joining the cabinet.

Sixty-seven-year-old Chandy, elected for the 10th consecutive time from Puthupally in Kottayam District, assumed office as Kerala's 21st chief minister on Wednesday.

He takes over from Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) stalwart V.S. Achuthanandan, who resigned as Chief Minister, last Saturday, following defeat in the Assembly polls.

In the Kerala assembly elections, the United Democratic Front (UDF) won by 72 seats, while the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) bagged 68 seats. (ANI)