By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan Monday expanded his ministry by accommodating three allies in the 20-member council of ministers.
P.J. Joseph (Kerala Congress-J), Kadannappally Ramachandran (Congress-S) and Jose Thettayil (Janata Dal-Secular-Gowda), were administered oath of office by Governor R.S. Gavai.
Joseph was the public works minister and had to quit nearly three years ago in the wake of allegations that he molested a woman.
Last month, Joseph was given a clean chit by a court in Chennai. His party colleague Mons Joseph resigned Sunday paving the way for P.J. Joseph’s reinduction. He has been given the same portfolio.
Ramachandran is a veteran and was twice elected to the Lok Sabha in the seventies and once before to the Kerala assembly in 1980. He gets the portfolio of Devasoms and Stationery.
Thettayil is a first timer to the assembly and becomes a minister following a split in his party JD-S into two.
One faction is led by M.P. Veerendra Kumar who has three legislators with him and the other faction has three legislators led by N.M. Joseph. Thettayil belongs to the latter.
Thettayil takes over as the transport minister.