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KK Shailaja Dropped From Kerala Cabinet, Social Media Erupts In Her Favour

One Twitter user wrote, "There is a whiff of sexism to this. Even with the criterion that besides the CM, the cabinet will be all new faces, I think ShailajaT merits an exception." 

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KK Shailaja dropped from cabinet: KK Shailaja, who received international recognition for her work as the health minister of Kerala during the COVID-19, has been dropped from the state cabinet. Many objected to this move made by the Left-led government of Kerala.
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The Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan formed a new cabinet after winning the state elections. The leader of CPI (M), AN Shamseer said, "Only the CM will be there (from the old Kerala cabinet), rest 11 ministers are new." He called the new cabinet, a "blend of youngsters and the old."

"It's our party's collective decision taken by a collective leadership. Don't make a person excluded from our party. You have to ask the leaders," he added.

KK Shailaja contested the assembly polls from Mattannur constituency and got over 61.97 votes. Her work during the Nipah virus outbreak and COVID-19 pandemic had brought widespread recognition for the state health department. She was also chosen as the "Top Thinker of the Year" by a magazine in the United Kingdom. She was also on the Financial Times list of influential people.

Social media users seemed outraged after the announcement was made on Tuesday. Many thought it unfair that a minister such as KK Shailaja was being removed despite her accomplishments.

One user hoped that the ruling party in Kerala reconsiders its decision as "KK Shailaja deserves to be in the Kerala cabinet."

They also alleged, "There is a whiff of sexism to this. Even with the criterion that besides the CM, the cabinet will be all new faces, I think ShailajaT merits an exception."

Another user pointed out the margin with which Shailaja won the recent assembly elections. They wrote, "KK Shailaja Teacher won with a record margin of over 60,000 votes! and now she is not part of Pinarayi 2 cabinet

"In my opinion LDF won because of Shailaja Teacher," they added.

Stanly Johny, a journalist, felt that the Kerala government is off to a wrong start by dropping "India's best performing health minister".

He wrote, "With my common sense I don't get why she was dropped. After the historic win, PV could have gone for a humble start. But with the decision to keep India's best-performing health minister out, & an oath-taking event with 500 amidst the lockdown, the govt is off to a wrong start."

Health Minster KK Shailaja
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