O.J. Janeesh, the Youth Congress state president who became a minister in the newly formed UDF government in Kerala, has been assigned official car registration number 10. Interestingly, the number 10 is the iconic jersey number of cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and football star Lionel Messi. Janeesh himself remarked that he had not noticed this connection.

Ministers in the new government have not been allotted new vehicles but are using the cars previously used by LDF ministers. Notably, the black cars used by former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan have not been given to any minister in the current cabinet.

Janeesh has also chosen Manmohan Bungalow in Thiruvananthapuram as his official residence. The bungalow, built by Travancore King Sree Moolam Thirunal, has a long history of controversies. Several ministers who lived there faced political setbacks. Kodiery Balakrishnan faced controversy over renovation expenses amounting to lakhs spent on vastu corrections. T.U. Kuruvilla had to resign following land deal allegations. Mons Joseph lost his ministerial position when P.J. Joseph returned to the cabinet.

However, ministers like Aryadan Muhammed during the Oommen Chandy government and Dr. T.M. Thomas Isaac during the first Pinarayi Vijayan government completed their full five-year terms while residing there, demonstrating that the superstitions surrounding the bungalow are unfounded.

Janeesh’s journey from a regular Congress worker to the youngest minister in Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan’s cabinet is remarkable. During the election campaign in Kodungallur, he connected deeply with voters by sharing his life story and approaching workers in the scorching sun. His constituency registered a majority of 8,308 votes, which also adds up to number 10 when summed (8+3+0+8).

The Kodungallur MLA is among the youngest ministers to hold a portfolio in Kerala. His selection of Manmohan Bungalow despite its controversial reputation has been widely noted in political circles.

Meanwhile, the UDF government also announced the cancellation of the Silver Line semi-high-speed rail project, with Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan stating that all notifications related to the project have been revoked and land acquisition proceedings cancelled.