Congress leader VD Satheesan, centre, at Cantonment House in Thiruvananthapuram | Photo credit: A. Jayamohan
Senior Congress leader VD Satheesan will be sworn in as Kerala’s next chief minister on Monday (18 May 2026), with the party leadership finally declaring its choice on Thursday (14 May 2026), ten days after the Congress-led United Democratic Front swept the assembly elections.
Following his formal election as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in the state, Mr Satheesan, accompanied by senior Congress leaders, met Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at Lok Bhavan on Thursday (May 14, 2026) evening and staked his claim to form the government.
Kerala CM LIVE Announcement – 14 May 2026
Mr Satheesan will take oath as Chief Minister on Monday (May 18, 2026) at 10 am at the Central Stadium in the state capital. Further clarification on how many ministers will take oath along with him is expected after the UDF meeting scheduled for Friday (May 15, 2026). All remaining MLAs will be sworn in on May 21.
Mr Satheesan, 61, who led the opposition in the Kerala Assembly from 2021 to 2026, will be the 13th person to hold the position of chief minister in the southern state. Speaking to reporters after the announcement, he expressed his determination to build a new Kerala by raising the living standards of the people and fulfilling the election promises of the UDF.
Analysis | The dispute over the CM lays bare fault lines in the Congress
The UDF registered a landslide victory in the April 9 elections, winning 102 of the 140 seats in the State Assembly, ending the decade-long rule of Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front (LDF).
Efforts to calm down
With tension over the Chief Minister’s post, attention has now shifted to portfolio division and internal Congress efforts to pacify senior leaders Ramesh Chennithala and KC Venugopal, who were the other top contenders for the CM post. Mr Satheesan told reporters that the new ministers would be chosen by the party.
VD Satheesan, Ramesh Chennithala, KC Venugopal and Kerala Congress President Sunny Joseph Photo Credit: ANI
Mr. Venugopal met Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for three hours just before the All India Congress Committee declared Mr. Satheesan its CLP leader at noon. Mr. Venugopal then said that he respected the AICC’s choice. The announcement was made in New Delhi by AICC general secretary in charge of Kerala Deepa Dasmunsi, party central observers Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik and senior leader Jairam Ramesh.
The CLP meeting was held at the Kerala Legislative Assembly complex at 6 pm with 62 Congress MLAs in attendance. Mr Chennithala’s conspicuous absence from the meeting sparked speculation, but there were also reports that he had conveyed his support to Mr Satheesan in writing. State Congress president Sunny Joseph presented a memorandum to formally elect Mr. Satheesan as CLP leader and senior leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan seconded it.
From student politics to CM post
Shortly after 7 pm, Mr. Satheesan left the CLP meeting and headed to the Lok Bhavan. Accompanied by Mr. Joseph and Mrs. Dasmunsi, he met the Governor and handed him a letter evidencing the support of 102 MLAs.
Earlier in the afternoon, Mr Satheesan also addressed Congress veterans including AK Antony and former KPCC president VM Sudheeran.
Mr. Satheesan was born to K. Damodar Menon and V. Vilasini Amma at Nettur in Ernakulam district on May 31, 1964. He completed his primary education from Panangad High School. He entered student politics as the Secretary of the Arts Club at Sacred Heart College, Thevara. A law graduate, he was president of the Mahatma Gandhi University Union in 1986-87 and served as secretary of the national committee of the National Union of Students.
In his first parliamentary election in 1996, he lost to CPI candidate P. Raju in Paravur constituency. However, since then he has won all six elections — in 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, 2021 and 2026 — from the same constituency.
Published – May 14, 2026 12:26 PM IST
