Thiruvananthapuram: In a ceremony marking the return of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) to power in Kerala after a decade, the national song Vande Mataram took center stage, sparking both patriotic fervor and visible unease among some attendees.
As per the new instructions of the Union Home Ministry, the National Anthem was preceded by the singing of all six stanzas of Vande Mataram.
V.D. Satheesan, a senior Congress leader and six-time MLA, was sworn in as the state’s 13th Chief Minister alongside a 20-member cabinet at the Central Stadium.
The event, administered by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar (who holds additional charge of Tamil Nadu), began with the rendition of Vande Mataram and concluded with the full national song followed by the National Anthem Jana Gana Mana. This sequence mirrored recent high-profile ceremonies, including Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay’s swearing-in earlier this month, where the full stanzas of Vande Mataram were performed.
Vande Mataram: Discomfort on many faces of leaders
Social media erupted with reactions to footage from the ceremony showing apparent discomfort on the faces of certain leaders and attendees as the patriotic song played. One widely circulated post captured the moment:
“The silence and discomfort on certain faces said more than words ever could. ‘Vande Mataram’ before the Kerala CM oath ceremony was enough to shake an entire ecosystem. A reminder that Kerala is not beyond Bharat… it is an inseparable part of it. This is New India. This is Narendra Modi’s India. The old ecosystem is collapsing before confident nationalism.” Supporters hailed the moment as a reflection of “New India.”
The silence and discomfort on certain faces said more than words ever could. 🔥🔥
“Vande Mataram” before the Kerala CM oath ceremony was enough to shake an entire ecosystem.
A reminder that Kerala is not beyond Bharat…🪷🚩
it is an inseparable part of it. 🇮🇳🔥This is New… pic.twitter.com/OpfWMh59j1
— MAHARATHI (@MahaRathii) May 18, 2026
Full Vande Mataram has been sung in Kerala before the oath taking ceremony of the VD Satheesan cabinet. Welcome change from Modi Govt where everybody irrespective of religion, ideology and stature has to stand in respect.
Governor Rajendra Arlekar can be seen singing song full. pic.twitter.com/L04gf1xM73
— Ganesh (@me_ganesh14) May 18, 2026
Another moment that drew significant attention during the ceremony was the reaction of several Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leaders during the rendition of Vande Mataram. It was clearly visible that there were a visible discomfort and unease on the faces of senior League leaders, including P. K. Kunhalikutty and Panakkad Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal, as the national song was sung in full before the National Anthem. Clips and photographs from the event went viral online, with many users claiming the moment reflected the ideological discomfort of certain political sections toward the singing of Vande Mataram. The visuals triggered intense political debate online, particularly after supporters described the ceremony as a symbolic assertion of nationalism in Kerala’s political space.
While only two stanzas of Vande Mataram were adopted by the Constituent Assembly in 1950, the Ministry of Home Affairs, in a directive dated January 28, notified that all the six stanzas should be sung at official functions.
V.D. Satheesan was sworn in as the 13th Chief Minister of Kerala today, leading the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) back to power after a decade. The swearing-in ceremony at the Central Stadium began with the rendition of the national song Vande Mataram, followed by the National Anthem Jana Gana Mana. Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office and secrecy to Satheesan and his council of ministers.
The event was marked by enthusiastic celebrations, with tens of thousands of Congresses and UDF activists cheering loudly inside and outside the stadium. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who attended the ceremony along with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and other senior leaders, warmly hugged the newly sworn-in Chief Minister. On Gandhi’s instructions, senior leaders on stage, including Kharge, greeted Satheesan with handshakes.
Even Rahul Gandhi was forced to listen the Vande Mataram during the swearing-in ceremony. The Congress had taken a stand against making the singing of the entire Vande Mataram compulsory. On January 28, the Union Home Ministry had ordered that all six stanzas of the Vande Mataram should be sung before the national anthem.
Cabinet Formation and Key Oaths
P. K. Kunhalikutty of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) took the oath as the second minister, followed by senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala in the third position. This marks the third time Chennithala has become a minister. KPCC President Sunny Joseph and K. Muralidharan also took oath, with Muralidharan reciting it in English. Other ministers who took the oath include Mons Joseph, Shibu Baby John, Anoop Jacob, CP John, AP Anil Kumar, N Shamsuddin, PC Vishnunath, Roji M John, Bindu Krishna, M. Liju, K. M Shaji, PK Basheer, V Abdul Ghafoor, T Siddique, K. Tulasi, and OJ Janish. In a historic first for the UDF, three women have found prominent positions. Bindu Krishna and K.A. Tulasi (also referred to as K. Tulasi) joined the cabinet, while Shanimol Usman was appointed Deputy Speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly. This is the first time a woman has held the Deputy Speaker’s post since A. Nafeesat Biwi served in that role between 1960 and 1964.
