11 Kerala ministers win, three lose

Even though the ruling Left Democratic Front under chief minister VS Achuthanandan lost to the Congress-led opposition in the assembly elections, 11 ministers of the Kerala cabinet won the polls.

Even though the ruling Left Democratic Front under chief minister VS Achuthanandan lost to the Congress-led opposition in the assembly elections, 11 ministers of the Kerala cabinet won the polls.

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The ruling Left combine won 68 seats, while the Congress-led United Democratic Front won 72 seats in the 140-member assembly.

While Achuthanandan recorded a hat-trick of wins form Malampuzha seat, his cabinet colleagues like home and tourism minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, finance minister Thomas Issac, excise minister P K Gurudasan, education minister M A Baby, industries minister Elamaram Kareem, cooperation minister G Sudhakaran, Fisheries and Registration minister S Sarma and Electricity minister A K Balan won.

The other ministers who won were Food and Civil Supplies minister C Divakaran, Agriculture minister Mulakara Ratnakaran -- both from the Communist Party of India -- and Transport minister Jose Thettayil of the Janata Dal(S).

But N K Premachandran with irrigation portfolio, K Ramachandran of Devasom, which manages the temples in the state, and V Surendran Pillai with ports portfolio lost.

Five ministers in the Achuthanandan cabinet did not contest.