How VD Satheesan defeated KC Venugopal as Congress' pick for Kerala CM

The Congress has finally disclosed its chief minister pick for Kerala after a wait of 10 days since the United Democratic Front (UDF) won the Assembly elections. VD Satheesan, 61, will be the next Kerala CM, the party announced on Thursday (May 14).

He beat All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal and former Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala to be selected for the role by the Congress high command. In his first comments since being picked as the Kerala Congress Legislative Party leader, Satheesan promised good governance, which will focus on building “a new Keralam for the youngsters”.

But why has Satheesan been picked to helm Kerala? We take a look.

Who is VD Satheesan?

VD Satheesan, who hails from Nettoor in Ernakulam, is a senior Congress leader and a six-time MLA from the Paravur constituency.

His political journey began as a student. He held key leadership roles at SH College in Thevara and later at Mahatma Gandhi University, reported PTI.

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Satheesan went on to serve as a national secretary of the Congress’ student wing, the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), which gave him a boost within the party.

Satheesan practised law at the Kerala High Court. His first stint in electoral politics came in the mid-1990s when he contested from the Paravur Assembly constituency.

While he lost his first election, Satheesan has won the constituency for six consecutive terms since then.

A long-time supporter of former CM K Karunakaran, Satheesan became one of the most vocal Congress lawmakers during the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s rule from 2006 to 2011. It was debates and interventions in the Kerala Assembly that shaped Satheesan’s image as an aggressive and articulate politician.

After the Congress-led UDF government came to power in 2011, Satheesan was part of the lawmakers, dubbed "Green MLAs", who advocated for sustainable development.

As per Indian Express, he is famous as a “bookworm politician”. The Congress MLA released a list of 60 books that he had read last year.

While he has not held a ministerial role, Satheesan filled key roles in the Congress, including as AICC secretary and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) vice-president.

After the LDF defeated the UDF in the 2021 Assembly polls, the lawyer-turned-politician was chosen as Leader of the Opposition (LoP).

During his stint as the LoP, Satheesan took on the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government head-on. He emerged as the most vocal critic of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] chief minister, questioning the various development claims of the Left government, reported Indian Express.

After the Congress lost the 2021 Assembly elections, Satheesan had his task cut out. He had to revive the Grand Old Party, which was left with just 21 MLAs in the House. He helped strengthen the Congress at the grassroots level.

With Satheesan at the helm, the UDF won several bypolls and displayed a strong performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in Kerala.

Why Congress picked Satheesan as Kerala CM

On May 4, the Congress-led UDF bagged 102 of Kerala’s 140 Assembly seats, the alliance’s best-ever tally.

Of this, the Congress secured 63 seats, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) got 22, the Kerala Congress (Joseph) seven and the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) three.

During the election campaign, the then LoP Satheesan had declared: “If the UDF does not win 100 seats, I will quit politics and go into exile.”

He did not have to walk the talk after the counting of votes 10 days ago. Now, Satheesan is set to be the next Kerala chief minister, defeating his rivals Venugopal and Chennithala for the role.

His strong secular credentials and rejection of vote bank politics, linked with leaders like Vellappally Natesan and G Sukumaran Nair, enhanced his appeal across Kerala, irrespective of sections and communities.

Over 40 of the Congress’ 63 newly elected MLAs wanted Venugopal to become the CM, but Satheesan was the preferred choice of the party’s three allies.

As per Indian Express, the IUML believed UDF’s decisive mandate was a vindication of Satheesan’s political stance. The Congress high command could not afford to upset the IUML, which played a major role in Rahul Gandhi’s thumping victories from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in both 2019 and 2024, and later in Priyanka Gandhi’s by-election triumph from the same constituency.

Grassroots workers within the party also rallied behind Satheesan. Congress workers were of the view that the leader who helmed the election campaign should also head the state.

Many workers held the sentiment that sidelining Satheesan after the victory would amount to not giving him credit for the win.

KC Venugopal, on the other hand, left an impression that he wanted to enjoy the fruits of Satheesan's hard work, as per the newspaper.

Many newly elected MLAs perceived as Venugopal’s supporters had to face opposition from party workers in their constituencies.

Venugopal, who is seen as Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s No 2 in the party, expressed confidence in the leadership’s decision to choose Satheesan.

"I am fully satisfied. I will stand with the high command decision," Venugopal, the MP from Alappuzha, was quoted as saying by NDTV.

"I congratulate Satheesan on being selected as Kerala Chief Minister, will provide all support to him and the UDF government," he added.

With the Congress ditching Venugopal for the top role, it has saved itself from triggering two by-elections. The MP would have to first get elected into the Kerala Assembly within the next six months.

Venugopal’s resignation as the Alappuzha MP would have also resulted in another by-election.

Satheesan, who is seen as the "people's choice", was also not ready to accept a secondary role, sources close to him told NDTV.

The Congress high command's decision shows it considered several political and organisational factors before making its choice. Satheesan is expected to be sworn in as Kerala's CM on May 18.

With inputs from agencies