Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], May 14 (ANI): Bringing an end to more than 10 days of speculation, the Congress on Thursday named senior leader V.D. Satheesan as the next chief minister of Kerala following the United Democratic Front’s sweeping victory in the 2026 Assembly elections.
Satheesan, who led the UDF campaign in the state, will take the oath of office on May 18 at 10 a.m. at Lok Bhavan.
The announcement came after the Congress-led UDF secured a decisive mandate in the 140-member Kerala Assembly, winning 102 seats and paving the way for the alliance’s return to power in the state.
Earlier in the day, Satheesan met Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar to formally stake claim to form the government.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister-designate V.D. Satheesan said he visited senior Congress leader V.M. Sudheeran to seek his blessings after being officially named the next chief minister following the UDF’s victory in the Assembly elections.
Speaking to reporters, Satheesan said, “I came to seek the blessings of V.M. Sudheeran. He is like a mentor to me. I was fortunate to serve as vice president when he was the president. He is someone who has the authority to scold and correct me.”
V.M. Sudheeran also welcomed the decision, saying, “The decision of the Congress high command is most welcome. I am thankful to the high command for selecting Satheesan as the chief minister. That was the most appropriate decision. He led the Congress party and the UDF very effectively.”
Congress leaders and alliance partners welcomed the decision, describing it as a collective choice taken after consultations with MLAs and senior party leadership.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor congratulated Satheesan on being named chief minister of Kerala, calling it a “richly deserved recognition” of his leadership, dedication, and service to the party and the people of the state.
In a post on X, Tharoor wrote, “Heartiest congratulations to Shri V.D. Satheesan on being named leader of the Congress Legislature Party and chief minister-designate of Kerala — a richly deserved recognition of his tenacity, conviction, and years of dedicated service to our party and people.”
“At the same time, we all realize that the mandate that propels him to office is not one man’s victory — it is a mandate for Team UDF. Every senior leader bears an important role and responsibility in ensuring that this government lives up to the expectations of the people of Kerala,” the post added.
Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed also welcomed the appointment and said the decision had been taken after extensive consultations.
She added that the Congress leadership, under Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge, had consulted MLAs, the people of Kerala, and alliance partners before arriving at the final decision.
Speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, Shama Mohamed said, “It’s a very good decision. It’s the decision taken by the high command. As you have seen, K.C. Venugopal has accepted the decision. All of us will accept the decision of the high command, of Rahul Gandhi, and the Congress president.”
“We are very happy with the decision. The high command has taken everyone into confidence — the MLAs, the people of Kerala, and the alliance partners — and that’s how we arrived at this final decision,” she added.
Indian Union Muslim League National General Secretary P.K. Kunhalikutty said the party welcomed the Congress high command’s decision, describing it as a collective decision accepted by all alliance partners.
“It’s a high command decision, and all the concerned parties welcome it. We have always maintained that the final decision would be taken by the Congress high command,” Kunhalikutty said.
Congress MLA Chandy Oommen said the party had followed its internal democratic process before finalizing the leadership.
“Every party has a process. The Congress has always taken the right decisions. Today we have taken the right decision, and everyone is happy about it,” he said.
Congress MP Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka said, “This is a very good decision that V.D. Satheesan has been named as chief minister, and this shows that Congress is a democratic party.”
Odisha Congress in-charge Ajay Kumar Lallu also congratulated Satheesan and said the new government would contribute significantly to Kerala’s development.
AICC in-charge Deepa Dasmunshi said the entire UDF stood united behind the decision and praised the alliance’s collective effort during the elections.
“Everyone will stand by the party because the Congress organization in Kerala is very strong. All the MLAs fought strongly — and not just the Congress party in Kerala, but the entire UDF together as a team,” she said.
Satheesan served as Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly before the UDF’s decisive victory in the 2026 elections.
He won the 2026 Kerala Assembly election from the Paravur constituency, securing his sixth consecutive term as an MLA.
With the announcement, the Congress will proceed to form the government in the state, ending days of speculation as top leaders competed for the post.
Satheesan secured 78,658 votes and defeated CPI candidate E.T. Taison Master by a margin of 20,600 votes.
He has represented the Paravur constituency for 25 years, having first won the seat in 2001.
As leader of the opposition since 2021, Satheesan emerged as a prominent face of the UDF campaign against the ruling Left government and was a vocal critic of the state administration on governance and political issues.
He also served as vice president of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee and succeeded Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala as Leader of the Opposition after the 2021 Kerala Assembly election.
Born in 1964 in Nettoor near Kochi, Satheesan is a lawyer by profession. He began his political career through the Kerala Students Union and later became active in the Youth Congress. (ANI)
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