New Delhi: Congress chief VD Satheesan has left the ball within the court docket of the Congress management to determine the subsequent chief minister of Kerala, saying he has “made no case”.
In an interview with ThePrint, Satheesan mentioned his solely job was to convey the United Democratic Entrance (UDF) again to energy when he took workplace in 2021, and that he was “happy with that job”.
“I’ve not made any claims,” the outgoing Chief of Opposition (LoP) within the Kerala Meeting mentioned on Tuesday, as tensions persist over who will get the coveted high publish.
Though he himself insists he has no intention of taking over the publish, posters selling him as the subsequent industrial have been put up in public locations, the newest being outdoors Cliff Home, the prime minister’s official residence. Some get together members and supporters are working a marketing campaign on social media, calling him the only real architect of the get together’s victory.
With the Congress-led UDF securing 102 of the 140 seats, the main target shifted to CM candidate Satheesan, senior chief Ramesh Chennithala and All India Congress Committee (AICC) basic secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal.
This could possibly be Chennithala’s final likelihood to turn into prime minister. The get together’s management positions him as probably the most appropriate candidate for the publish attributable to his seniority and administrative expertise. On Wednesday, the 69-year-old chief met Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
One other sturdy candidate is Venugopal, who Congress insiders affirm has the assist of greater than 40 MLAs. Alappuzha MP, who is taken into account near Rahul, has intervened in get together selections, together with candidate choice, a number of occasions and has proven curiosity in Kerala over the previous yr.
On the floor, Satheesan maintained that there can be no contest for the publish. “Congress is a nationwide get together. There’s a process adopted by AICC to declare the CM candidate. The process will begin from at present and should take three or 4 days. Whoever they announce would be the Chief Minister of Kerala,” he mentioned.
Congress leaders mentioned the AICC is predicted to announce the chief minister on Sunday. The get together excessive command on Wednesday appointed senior leaders Mukul Wasnik and Ajay Maken as observers to carry discussions with MLAs, which was held on Thursday.
“VDSateesan was in a position to set the narrative for himself early on. The folks voted for his management, not for vanity however for taking a robust stance when wanted,” a Congress supply mentioned, including that his 30-day Puthuyuga Yatra (New Period March) in February confirmed a distinct aspect of him, one that’s amiable and approachable.
One other AICC official mentioned Satheesan is getting ready to remain up-to-date on “Gen Z lingo” and construct higher relationships with younger voters within the run-up to the polls.
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political journey
Hailing from Nettur in Ernakulam district, Satheesan’s political profession started together with his unsuccessful bid within the 1996 Kerala polls. He tasted success from Mr. Paravur in 2001. Since then, he has received the seat in consecutive polls, profitable by greater than 20,000 votes up to now two elections.
Satheesan changed Chennithala within the Lok Sabha in 2021 after the Congress suffered defeat in two consecutive meeting polls. As soon as criticized as “conceited” by get together leaders, he’s now credited with a number of victories for the get together since then, together with 4 out of 5 polls, the 2024 parliamentary polls and the lately concluded meeting polls.
For instance, within the 2025 Nilambur meeting by-poll, Satheesan determined to distance PV Anwar from the UDF earlier than the vote, regardless that the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and a few Congress leaders needed him to be thoughtful.
The choice to maintain Anvar out was vindicated quickly after the UDF lastly received with out his assist, guaranteeing that the narrative was not managed by him. This episode demonstrated Saseesan’s superiority and was seen as proof of his means to make powerful selections.
In truth, Satheesan was the one chief to repeatedly say that the Congress would win greater than 100 seats, and even mentioned that he would retire from politics if the Congress didn’t win, usually drawing criticism from the opposition.
“After I predicted that UDF would win greater than 100 seats, there was a political foundation for that declare. I feel there was a large anti-incumbent motion towards the federal government. That could be a adverse issue. Alternatively, we have now criticized and uncovered the federal government many occasions,” he instructed ThePrint.
The 61-year-old added that the get together’s sturdy secular stance additionally helped, noting that the Congress get together was in a position to take sturdy positions when group leaders made communal statements.
Final yr, Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam basic secretary Velappally Natesan brought about an argument when he mentioned Malappuram was like an “impartial state” and backward communities had been dwelling there in worry. Ms Satheesan hit again at social welfare teams, saying group leaders mustn’t divide society.
“We now have taken a resolutely secular place. We now have mentioned to all of the spiritual leaders who’ve spoken communally: ‘No. Do not characterize communal divisions. Cease this marketing campaign of hate.'” Hundreds of individuals, together with younger folks, have accepted that place, he mentioned.
Now that the Congress authorities is in energy, Satheesan mentioned the primary precedence is to fill the finance minister’s publish.
“Kerala’s fiscal place may be very fragile. Filling the exchequer is the primary responsibility. Healthcare and schooling are in decline. To stem the mind drain, we would like Kerala to turn into a vacation spot for healthcare and schooling,” he mentioned.
“We plan to restructure the curriculum and arrange a International Job Watch Tower, bringing collectively consultants to work with firms. We’re additionally planning a significant challenge to make use of our shoreline and rivers to show Kerala right into a ‘port state’ like Singapore or Seattle.”
(Edited by Tony Lai)
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