NEW DELHI: After 10 days of intense consultations, lobbying and internal churning, Congress on Thursday finally ended suspense over Kerala’s chief ministerial face by picking VD Satheesan for the top post.Satheesan emerged victorious in a closely watched leadership battle against senior leaders KC Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala after the Congress high command weighed alliance equations, grassroots sentiment, public perception and electoral calculations before arriving at a final decision.Though Venugopal was seen as a strong contender with backing from a large section of MLAs and the party leadership in Delhi, multiple political factors eventually tilted the balance in Satheesan’s favour.Satheesan being a vocal and visible critic of the LDF government led by Pinarayi Vijayan also worked heavily in his favour. Although the Congress never formally projected a chief ministerial face before the elections, Satheesan had gradually emerged over the last five years as the public face of the opposition against the Left Democratic Front government.Satheesan also enjoyed visible support from grassroots Congress workers. In the days following the election results, party workers openly campaigned for him to be made chief minister, arguing that the leader who led the election battle should also lead the government.One of the most crucial reasons was the stand taken by key allies in the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), especially the Indian Union Muslim League. The IUML, which has 22 MLAs in the 102-member UDF alliance, strongly backed Satheesan and viewed the alliance’s massive victory as an endorsement of his leadership over the last five years as Leader of Opposition.The Kerala Congress (Joseph) and the Revolutionary Socialist Party also supported Satheesan, strengthening his position within the alliance.The Congress leadership was aware that ignoring the IUML’s stand could create complications for the new government. The IUML has long acted as one of the Congress’ strongest grassroots partners in Kerala and played a major role in Rahul Gandhi’s victories from Wayanad in 2019 and 2024, and later in Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s by-election win from the constituency.Within sections of the party, there was unease over Venugopal, considered close to Rahul Gandhi, entering the race for the top post despite having earlier indicated during the campaign that he was not seeking any position. Many workers believed that bypassing Satheesan after the UDF’s sweeping mandate would amount to denying him political credit for the victory.The Congress’s recent struggles in assembly elections in several Hindi heartland states during Venugopal’s tenure as AICC organisation secretary also became a point of discussion among Kerala leaders and workers.The internal pressure was visible at the constituency level as well. Several newly elected Congress MLAs who were identified as supporters of Venugopal reportedly faced protests from local party workers. Some legislators had to cut short their post-election tours amid criticism from cadres and social media campaigns questioning their opposition to Satheesan.Young Congress leaders such as Shafi Parambil and Mathew Kuzhalnadan were also criticised online by party workers who projected them as leaders going against the people’s mandate.Another important factor behind the Congress decision was the possibility of multiple by-elections if Venugopal had been selected as chief minister.As the sitting Lok Sabha MP from Alappuzha, Venugopal would have had to resign from Parliament and contest an assembly by-election within six months to continue as chief minister. His resignation from the Lok Sabha would have also triggered another parliamentary bypoll.Within the UDF, there was concern over forcing voters into fresh elections immediately after the assembly polls, particularly at a time when the alliance was trying to consolidate its political gains.Congress leaders were also conscious of the political risk involved in a by-election contest for a sitting chief minister. Even though Venugopal would likely have contested from a safe Congress seat, party leaders did not want to introduce avoidable uncertainty into the new government.Public perception also worked heavily in Satheesan’s favour.He was one of Vijayan’s sharpest critics and frequently targeted the LDF government on issues related to governance and corruption. Satheesan also built an image as a strong advocate of secular politics in Kerala.At a time when several Congress leaders avoided directly confronting controversial remarks made by influential Hindu community leaders, Satheesan repeatedly warned against attempts to polarise Kerala politics. By openly challenging leaders such as Vellappally Natesan and G. Sukumaran Nair, he gained support among sections that viewed him as a leader willing to take political risks.During the campaign, Satheesan had also made a high-stakes political declaration, saying he would end his political career if the UDF failed to cross 100 seats. The alliance eventually crossed that mark comfortably, strengthening his image as a confident campaign leader.Even though Venugopal reportedly had the backing of a majority of Congress MLAs and enjoyed close ties with the central leadership, the delay in announcing the chief ministerial face reflected the party’s attempt to strike a balance between organisational control and political realities on the ground.Satheesan, a six-time MLA from Paravur in Ernakulam district, was eventually seen as the candidate with broader public acceptability, stronger alliance backing and deeper grassroots support.Soon after being chosen, Satheesan attempted to send a message of unity within the party and praised both Venugopal and Chennithala.“I do not see this position as a personal achievement… it was Venugopal who coordinated all the activities (and) his support was immense. Chennithala is also my leader,” Satheesan said after the announcement.“I will take all of them into my confidence,” he added. “I seek the support of every section of people… only a collective effort can build a new Kerala. No one can do it alone…”Venugopal also accepted the decision publicly and backed the party line.“Satheesan has been appointed as chief minister. I was saying the decision of the High Command will prevail, and it is my responsibility to see that the decision is respected and implemented,” he told reporters.Satheesan’s rise to the top post has also been shaped by years of internal political battles within the Kerala Congress. After missing out on a ministerial berth in the 2011 cabinet headed by Oommen Chandy and later losing out in the race for the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee chief’s post in 2016, Satheesan once again found himself in a tough contest this time against senior leaders such as K. C. Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala.Despite leading the Congress-led UDF to a sweeping Assembly victory, Satheesan was reportedly not the automatic choice of the party high command for the chief minister’s post. Party insiders pointed to familiar concerns that had surfaced during earlier leadership contests, including his strained relationship with influential community lobbies, limited support within sections of the national leadership and his assertive political style that has often unsettled even leaders within his own party.In 2011, when Satheesan was denied a ministerial berth in the Oommen Chandy government, his “attitude” was widely cited within party circles as one of the reasons. Unlike several leaders who actively cultivated support from influential community organisations such as the Nair Service Society, Satheesan was seen as reluctant to engage in lobbying for positions, a trait that contributed to his image as an independent-minded but uncompromising leader.The real test for the Congress in Kerala, however, begins after the celebrations. The last 10 days have exposed the depth of factional friction within the party, even in the middle of one of its biggest victories in the state in a decade.For now, Satheesan has moved quickly to project unity and Venugopal has publicly accepted the high command’s decision. Senior leader Chennithala, however, has been missing in action since the CM announcement.In the coming days, as Satheesan forms the government, it will be worth watching whether all the frontrunners fall in line to ensure a stable five-year UDF government, or whether the Kerala Congress faces a Karnataka-style tussle similar to the rivalry between Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar.
