KK Shailaja, better known as Shailaja Teacher outside Kerala, has not found a place in the new cabinet of the Pinarayi Vijayan government. The Left front recently won a handsome mandate in the Kerala Assembly polls. Since Shailaja Teacher, the Health Minister in the previous government, played a decisive role in leading the State's battle against the pandemic, she was expected to secure a place in the new Cabinet. She was billed to retain her health portfolio, with her having won on a record margin.

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With the Communist Chief Minister dropping her, many are shocked. "The CPM party has to explain this decision. Was this mandate not for Shailaja teacher too?" asked Dhanya Rajendran, the journalist.

Speaking to a news channel, CPM MLA AN Shamseer said that Kerala now has a new team in the government. "No one from the earlier LDF government will be part of the new," he said.

The CM has dropped all sitting Ministers. It may be well a principled stand, but many are honestly shocked that one of the best performing Ministers has not found a place and has been demoted to a cheap whip.

There is a speculation that Pinarayi Vijayan’s son-in-law Mohammed Riyas could step into Teacher's shoes. Commenting on the issue, columnist Akhilesh Mishra wrote, "The LDF has won an empathic and historic second consecutive mandate in Kerala, reversing a 40 year trend. Lot of the credit goes to @shailajateacher. In a fairer world she would be the Chief Minister. I would in fact support her candidature."