V.D. Satheesan to be next Chief Minister of Kerala as Congress leadership ends suspense

V.D. Satheesan volition beryllium the adjacent Chief Minister of Kerala. The Congress enactment connected Thursday (May 14, 2026) picked Mr. Satheesan arsenic the person of the Congress Legislature Party, putting an extremity to the precocious play and suspense that lasted each of 10 days aft the declaration of the State Assembly predetermination results connected May 4.

Mr. Satheesan, 61, volition instrumentality implicit arsenic the 13th Chief Minister of the confederate State, pursuing the April 9 elections that ended 10 years of CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) rule. The Opposition Leader of Kerala during 2021-2026, helium succeeds Pinarayi Vijayan to the station aft the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) scripted a landslide victory, claiming 102 seats successful the 140-seat House.

Kerala CM announcement LIVE - May 14, 2026

It was not instantly evident however the Congress enactment had yet resolved the quality among Mr. Satheesan, Ramesh Chennithala and and K.C. Venugopal, the 3 elder leaders who were successful the moving for the Chief Minister’s post.

The hold successful deciding who the Chief Minister would beryllium had led to supporters of the 3 leaders taking the conflict retired into the unfastened with posters, flex boards and societal media campaigns.

Early years

Born to K. Damodara Menon and V. Vilasini Amma successful Nettur, Ernakulam territory connected May 31, 1964, Mr. Satheesan completed his superior acquisition from Panangad High School. He entered pupil authorities arsenic the Arts Club caput astatine Sacred Heart College, Thevara.

A instrumentality graduate, helium was the KSU chairperson of the Mahatma Gandhi University Union successful 1986-87. He has besides served arsenic the nationalist committee caput of the National Students’ Union.

He mislaid his archetypal election, from the Paravur constituency successful the 1996 Assembly polls, to CPI campaigner P. Raju. But helium had won each the elections since then, successful 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, 2021 and 2026.

Mr. Satheesan’s sanction was announced aft extended discussions successful New Delhi connected Thursday morning.

Although the announcement was expected connected Wednesday, pursuing respective rounds of discussions successful New Delhi, it was yet enactment disconnected to Thursday. The Congress Legislature Party gathering is slated for aboriginal this evening astatine the Indira Bhavan, the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters.

All the Congress MLAs were directed to beryllium contiguous astatine the KPCC office for the CLP meeting.