The decision to induct Chandy, a three-time MLA from Kuttanad in Alapuzha district, in the cabinet was taken after a meeting of LDF leaders here today.
NCP's Saseendran had resigned on March 26 after a purported audio clip of him speaking in sexual undertones to a woman emerged in the Malayalam channel Mangalam.
The NCP state leadership had met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan earlier in the day and had handed over a letter nominating Chandy as its nominee in the ministry.
NCP state President Uzhavoor Vijayan said Chandy is the new nominee of NCP in the cabinet and he will be sworn in tomorrow at 4 PM.
Following mounting criticism, the channel had admitted that it had conducted a sting operation on Saseendran and that the woman involved in the conversation was their journalist. However, Saseendran refused to return to the cabinet saying that he preferred to keep away as judicial and police probes were on.
Meanwhile, R Ajit Kumar, Managing Director of the channel, today said that "to uphold media ethics, we came out with our explanation. It was a conscious decision not to disclose that it was a sting operation at the time of airing the audio clip on Mar 26."
"This was also to protect the identity of the woman media personnel who had conversed with Saseendran. Still I feel it was correct."
Meanwhile, women journalists under the banner of 'Network of women in media' took out a procession to the Mangalam channel's office here today.
They raised slogans against the channel, which had aired a sleaze audio clip of Saseendran,which led to his resignation as transport minister on March 26.
The magazine subsequently tendered an unconditional apology, saying it was a sting operation which they had conducted.