In a major political development, the Congress on Thursday named V D Satheesan as the next Chief Minister of Kerala, more than a week after the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) stormed back to power in the state, ending ten years of Left rule under Pinarayi Vijayan.
The announcement follows days of intense consultations within the Congress high command and brings to an end prolonged speculation over the party’s choice for the top post. The decision was finalised after discussions involving Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, senior leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.
The Congress-led UDF secured a sweeping mandate in the May 4 Assembly elections, winning 102 seats in the 140-member Kerala Assembly, with the Congress emerging as the single largest party in the alliance with 63 seats. The verdict marked a decisive shift in public sentiment and ended the Left Democratic Front’s decade-long hold on power.
Despite the landslide victory, the Congress delayed announcing its chief ministerial face, triggering political chatter and unrest among party workers in Kerala. Multiple rounds of meetings were held between Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee leaders, former state chiefs and the party high command before the final decision was reached.
Satheesan, a six-time MLA from Paravur, was formally elected leader of the Congress Legislature Party in Delhi on Thursday. He enjoys strong support within the Congress rank and file as well as among key UDF allies, including the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Kerala Congress (Joseph).
Before the UDF’s emphatic victory, Satheesan served as Leader of the Opposition in the Keralam Assembly and emerged as one of the most vocal critics of the Left government. In the 2026 Assembly polls, he retained the Paravur constituency for a sixth consecutive term, defeating CPI candidate E T Taison Master by over 20,000 votes.
Following the announcement, the Congress Legislature Party is expected to meet Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and formally stake claim to form the new government.
