Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala): KK Shailaja, who tasted massive success and fame as the health minister in the Pinarayi Vijayan 1.0 government, was surprisingly left out of the cabinet in the LDF's second consecutive term in power.
However, Shailaja gracefully accepted the reality and thanked people for their love.
"Giving opportunities for a new set of people is a good thing," she said.
As netizens took to various social media channels demanding her inclusion in the cabinet again, she said there was no point in protesting. "In the pevious government, the party made me a minister. I believe I discharged my duties well. I was not the only minister who did well in handling the COVID-19 crisis. It was a collective effort by the Chief Minister and all other ministers and their departments," she said, adding, "I only played my part."
Three years ago, Shailaja shot to national fame for effectively handling the Nipah virus situation in Kerala. Her handling of the COVID-19 crisis, especially during its first wave, got her international recognition.
In the Assembly elections held last month, Shailaja contested from Mattannur constituency and won by a record highest margin between candidates in the state ever recorded. She has registered a 60,000-vote victory over Illikkal Augusthy of the Revolutionary Socialist Party.
On Tuesday, the CPI(M) announced that Shailaja has been made the party's Chief Whip.