The Congress on Thursday announced VD Satheesan as Kerala’s new chief minister, ending days of suspense after the UDF’s sweeping victory in the Assembly elections.

The announcement was made in New Delhi by AICC leaders Deepa Dasmunshi, Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik. Satheesan’s elevation came after a prolonged round of deliberations involving the party high command, Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, state leaders and UDF allies. While senior leaders KC Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala were also in contention, multiple political and organisational factors ultimately worked in Satheesan’s favour.

Several political and organisational factors worked in VD Satheesan’s favour during the Congress leadership’s selection of Kerala’s next chief minister. One of the biggest reasons was his role as the main face of the UDF’s campaign against the Left government over the last five years. As Leader of the Opposition since 2021, Satheesan led the Congress attack on the Pinarayi Vijayan government both inside and outside the Assembly and became the most visible face of the UDF campaign.

Satheesan also enjoyed strong support among party workers and UDF allies. Feedback collected from MLAs and alliance leaders reportedly reflected wider acceptability for him compared to other contenders. His grassroots image, built through student politics and Youth Congress activities, helped strengthen his standing within the organisation.