Six-time Congress MLA V.D. Satheesan has been named the next Chief Minister of Kerala after the party ended a 10-day deadlock over leadership.
Satheesan, a veteran leader with over 35 years of political experience, has remained unbeaten in six consecutive Assembly elections from the Paravur constituency in Ernakulam district.
The Congress high command finalised his name after observers Mukul Wasnik and Ajay Maken consulted newly elected MLAs and submitted their report. Senior leaders in New Delhi held further discussions before announcing Satheesan as the choice.
The leadership tussle involved AICC general secretary KC Venugopal, outgoing Leader of Opposition Satheesan, and senior leader Ramesh Chennithala. Venugopal’s camp claimed majority support among MLAs, while Chennithala staked his claim on seniority. Satheesan, credited as the architect of the United Democratic Front’s landslide victory, enjoyed strong backing from alliance partners.
Factional rivalry delayed the announcement, with aggressive poster campaigns and public displays of support across Kerala. The Congress feared backlash and internal rebellion, but a consensus eventually emerged in favour of Satheesan.
The Congress-led UDF returned to power in Kerala after a decade, securing 102 seats in the 140-member Assembly. The victory ended the Left Democratic Front’s bid for a rare third consecutive term and restored Kerala’s tradition of alternating governments.
