S Sarma To Be New Kerala Power Minister As Vijayan Steps Down

CPI-M party state secretariat member S Sarma would be the new minister for electricity and co-operation in the Kerala cabinet. His swearing-in is expected to be held on Sunday. Announcing this at a press conference here yesterday, state CPI-M secretary Pinarayi Vijayan said the state committee of the party which met here this afternoon had endorsed the decision of recommending Sarma, who is also the parliamentary party secretary, for the ministerial berth. He said the governor, who is not in the capital at present, would return only on Sunday and the chief minister had contacted him and got the nod to hold the swearing-in on the same day. Sarma