THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Vadassery Damodaran Satheesan, Kerala’s Leader of the Opposition, is widely regarded as the top Congress contender for the Chief Minister’s post following the UDF’s historic victory in the assembly elections.
While hectic parleys have begun in the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram to choose the man who will head the next government, the senior leaders, including Satheeshan, played down the issue.
“The Congress High Command will decide on the Chief Minister’s appointment, with the process starting in a day or two and central observers arriving soon. The decision isn’t open for public discussion at this point, and as a national party, the high command will announce it at the right time. It will be done quickly, without delay,” Satheeshan who is also the UDF chairman. The 61-year-old leader has won six consecutive elections from Paravoor constituency since 2001.
From 2016 to 2021, Ramesh Chennithala, the Opposition Leader, mounted several challenges, but Pinarayi Vijayan’s reputation as a savior during the 2018 floods and the COVID-19 crisis helped the Left Democratic Front (LDF) make history in 2021, breaking a five-decade trend by winning re-election.
However, that changed when Satheeshan took charge of a struggling Congress in 2021. Over the past five years, under his leadership, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has made a strong comeback sweeping nearly all by-elections, winning 18 of Kerala’s 20 Lok Sabha seats in 2024, and taking a decisive victory in the 2025 local body polls by securing control of about 60–65 percent of councils. It was the first time since 2005 that Congress outperformed the Left locally, and this victory ensured UDF return to power,.
Satheeshan has often credited “Team UDF” for their wins. In the Assembly, he’s led the opposition with strength and clarity, an impressive feat considering he’s gone up against Pinarayi Vijayan one of Kerala’s formidable leaders and the CPM, the state’s dominant political force. His only shortcoming is that he’s never held a ministerial position in his career.
On paper, Satheeshan seems like the obvious choice for Chief Minister. Still, Chennithala’s camp is pushing his name too, pointing to his seniority and experience. There’s also talk that K.C. Venugopal, with his clout in Delhi and close ties to the Gandhi family, could be a strong contender.
If Congress wants a leader who can be a long-term asset in Kerala and help secure its future, Satheeshan appears to be the standout pick.
“I have fulfilled the promise given to Sonia, Rahul” Satheeshan
Satheeshan said the huge victory of the UDF in Kerala fulfills a promise he made to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi five years ago.
He recalled that when he became opposition leader in 2021, he assured them the Congress-led UDF would return to power in Kerala with a big win, and now that promise has been kept.
Satheeshan termed it a win for Team UDF, thanking the people wholeheartedly and dedicating the victory to the leaders and workers who worked tirelessly, with guidance from Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and other AICC leaders.
He said the UDF worked like a family, standing united against communal forces and upholding a secular vision. The government, he promised, will meet the people’s expectations, never forgetting the trust placed in them. Support came from across Kerala, cutting across castes, religions, and regions, even from lifelong CPM voters who felt the Left had lost its way. This, Satheeshan said, marks the start of a “Puthu Yugam” after ten years of misrule, with their programmes set to shape a new Kerala.
Satheeshan had made a bold statement ahead of the polls, saying that if the UDF faces defeat, he would go on a “vanavas.”
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