First Namboodiripad ministry


The Council of Ministers of Legislative Assembly, Kerala state was the first Council of Ministers, the executive wing of state government, in the Indian state of Kerala. The ministry was led by Communist Party of India leader E. M. S. Namboodiripad from 5 April 1957 to 31 July 1959 and had eleven ministries.
One of the first democratically elected Communist governments in the world after San Marino, Namboodiripad and his cabinet are known for their introduction of the Land Reform Ordinance and the Education Bill. The government was dismissed in 1959 by the Central Government, which invoked the controversial Article 356 of the Indian Constitution, following what later became known as The Liberation Struggle.
The State of Kerala was formed on 1 November 1956 as per the States Reorganisation Act of 1956. The erstwhile Travancore-Cochin and the Malabar district of Madras state were reorganized to form the state of Kerala. After the first ever elections to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1957, the Communist Party of India emerged as the single largest party. E M S Namboodiripad formed the first elected government with the support of 5 independent legislators. The government was not able to complete its full 5 years term. Government was dismissed by the President of India by the use of Article 356 of Indian constitution following the 'Liberation Struggle'.
The Kerala Council of Ministers, during Namboodiripad's term as Chief Minister of Kerala, consisted of:6
MinisterMinistry/PortfolioParty
1E. M. S. NamboodiripadChief MinisterCommunist Party of India
2C. Achutha MenonMinister for FinanceCommunist Party of India
3K. P. GopalanMinister for IndustriesCommunist Party of India
4K. R. Gowri AmmaMinister for Revenue and ExciseCommunist Party of India
5Joseph MundasseryMinister for Education and CooperationCommunist Party of India
6T. V. ThomasMinister for Labour, Employment and TransportCommunist Party of India
7P. K. Chathan MasterMinister for Local Self GovernmentCommunist Party of India
8T. A. MajeedMinister for Public WorksCommunist Party of India
9K. C. GeorgeMinister for Food and ForestCommunist Party of India
10V. R. Krishna IyerMinister for Irrigation, Prisons, Law and ElectricityIndependent
11A. R. MenonMinister for HealthIndependent