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From grassroots party worker to chief minister: VD Satheesan vows to lift quality of life in Kerala
VD Satheesan is seen as a decisive leader, who associates with many groups outside the party. He said on Thursday: “The promises we made to the people will be fulfilled"
- PUBLISHED: Thu 14 May 2026, 5:15 PM
The 61-year-old new chief minister of Kerala, V.D. Satheesan, was born in Nettoor near Kochi. He has been a six-time legislator from the Paravur assembly constituency and has been credited with the victory of the United Democratic Front in the recent elections.
The new Congress leader is relatively young, in a state where chief ministers have traditionally been in their 70s and 80s. Of course, veteran Congressman A.K. Antony was the youngest CM of the state, when he took the top job when he was just 36 in 1977.
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A lawyer, Satheesan entered the party through the Kerala Students Union. Unlike many state Congress leaders, he was not involved much in lobbying in Delhi. He is basically a grassroots party worker, engaging himself in state politics.
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In 2021, when the UDF lost the state elections to the Left Front headed by Pinarayi Vijayan, Satheesan was appointed leader of the opposition, stunning many in the Congress, as he had never had ministerial experience.
Impact on state politics
Over the last five years, Satheesan made a huge impact in state politics, virtually reviving the state Congress unit and taking on the Marxists.
Satheesan also has a good equation with the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a key ally of the Congress in the state. Realising that the Congress needed the backing of many social groups, who had drifted away over the past few years, he renewed his interactions with them.
He likewise established strong ties with the allies, social groups and others disillusioned with the Left Democratic Front.
Decisive leader
Many in the Congress see Satheesan as a decisive leader, who associates with many groups outside the party. Addressing a gathering after being declared the new CM of the state, Satheesan referred to the millions of workers who were part of ‘Team UDF’.
“The promises we made to the people will be fulfilled,” he asserted. “With hard work and commitment, we will increase the quality of life in Kerala.”
Satheesan also thanked K.C. Venugopal, who was being projected as the new CM, for ensuring the victory of the Congress in Kerala. "This is not a personal victory. It was the All India Congress Committee (AICC) that contributed the most to this victory, and the AICC’s activities here were coordinated on a daily basis by KC Venugopal. He was involved in everything,” Satheesan told reporters.
