Shailaja's exclusion raises question of who is bigger: individual or party?

The former health minister's exclusion from Vijayan's second Cabinet raises the age-old question of who is bigger

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his council of ministers were sworn in today. Former health minister K K Shailaja (64) wasn’t among the ministers. The central issue in the outcry after she was dropped is: Who is bigger — the party, the government or an individual?

Her furious supporters contend that Shailaja should be given credit for helping the Left Democratic Front (LDF) to power for the second time in a row, breaking a trend in Kerala politics.

There is no doubt about Shailaja’s popularity. Her role as teacher is so highly respected that it is added to her