India, May 18 -- VD Satheesan took oath as the chief minister of Kerala along with his cabinet on Monday, including senior Congress leaders Ramesh Chennithala, Sunny Joseph, K. Muraleedharan and others. The ceremony was attended by several Congress dignitaries, but one key leader was absent - Shashi Tharoor.

Tharoor could not attend the event as he was in the United States over the weekend to deliver an address at his alma mater, the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy at Tufts University.

The Congress MP had informed on Friday, May 15, that he would not be able to attend the ceremony because of a prior commitment.

"I'm sorry to be missing the swearing-in ceremony of my @incKerala colleague and new CM of Kerala @vdsatheesan. I am in Bos...