How VD Satheesan became Kerala CM: Inside Congress' 10-day showdown

NEW DELHI: Ending 10 days of suspense, the Congress on Thursday finally picked VD Satheesan as the next chief minister of Kerala after days of intense lobbying, marathon consultations and growing pressure within the party following the UDF’s sweeping victory in the assembly elections.

The Congress-led alliance returned to power in the state after nearly a decade, ending the CPM-led Left Democratic Front’s rule.

However, even after the UDF stormed back to power with a massive 102 seats in the 140-member Kerala assembly, the Congress struggled to decide who would lead the government. The suspense stretched from May 4, when the election results were declared till May 14, when the party finally announced VD Satheesan as Kerala's next chief minister.

For 10 days, Kerala politics revolved around one question: who would become chief minister?

What followed was a high-stakes power struggle that saw supporters marching on streets, posters attacking rivals appearing across districts, alliance partners growing impatient and the BJP mocking Congress over its 'confusion' despite securing a clear mandate.

UDF’s landslide comeback sparks leadership race

The chaos began immediately after the Congress-led UDF secured a thumping victory in the Kerala assembly elections on May 4, ending the CPM-led Left Democratic Front’s decade-long rule in the state.

Congress alone won 63 seats while its key ally, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) secured 22, taking the alliance tally comfortably past the majority mark.

The victory was politically significant for the Congress, which had suffered setbacks in the 2016 and 2021 assembly elections. It also marked a generational shift in Kerala Congress politics after the era of towering leaders like K Karunakaran, Oommen Chandy and AK Antony.

Almost immediately after the results, attention shifted from victory celebrations to the battle for the chief minister's post.
Three camps emerge

Three clear power centres quickly emerged within the Congress in Kerala.

VD Satheesan's camp argued that he deserved the post because he led the UDF’s aggressive campaign against the LDF as the leader of the opposition and became the public face of the alliance’s comeback.

KC Venugopal's supporters claimed that he played a key role in strategy, alliance coordination and candidate selection and enjoyed the support of a majority of MLAs.

Ramesh Chennithala, meanwhile, projected himself as the senior-most leader with administrative experience and organisational acceptability.

Soon, Kerala witnessed a full-fledged campaign from supporters of all three leaders.

Flex boards, rallies and social media campaigns appeared across districts backing Satheesan, Venugopal and Chennithala. Supporters organised roadshows and receptions while rival camps pushed narratives about popularity, seniority, loyalty and grassroots support.

Congress high command steps in

As lobbying intensified, the Congress high command moved cautiously.

The party appointed senior leaders Mukul Wasnik and Ajay Maken as observers to gather opinions from MLAs and alliance leaders.

On May 7, the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) passed a resolution authorising party president Mallikarjun Kharge to decide the leader of the legislature party, effectively handing the final decision to Delhi.

The observers then held individual meetings with MLAs and senior leaders before submitting their report to the leadership.

Poster wars and protests erupt

By May 8 and May 9, the leadership tussle had spilt onto the streets.

Posters supporting Satheesan appeared across Kerala, particularly in Ernakulam and other UDF strongholds. Similar campaigns backing Venugopal and Chennithala also surfaced in several districts.

The internal friction soon turned ugly.

Posters targeting KC Venugopal emerged in Wandoor constituency, triggering discussions over Congress-IUML tensions. Later, posters attacking Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra appeared in Wayanad, warning the high command against choosing Venugopal.

One poster reportedly claimed Wayanad would become 'the next Amethi' if the wrong decision was taken.

The public display of factionalism embarrassed the party leadership and overshadowed the scale of the UDF’s historic victory.

Even KPCC president Sunny Joseph admitted the delay and internal tussle had affected the public perception of the victory.

"I do admit that. But the grace of the victory will be enhanced once the new government comes to power," he said.

Congress leaders defend delay amid BJP attacks

BJP and LDF repeatedly attacked the Congress, accusing it of being unable to arrive at a consensus despite securing a massive mandate in the assembly polls.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar mocked the situation on social media amid speculation around KC Venugopal's name for the top post. Sharing a post claiming that the "Kerala BJP wanted Venugopal in Kerala while the national BJP wanted him in Delhi," Chandrasekhar sarcastically responded, "I will neither confirm nor deny that this is true."

BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla also took a swipe at the Congress, claiming the party was in 'complete confusion' despite winning a full majority in Kerala.

"Congress got a full majority in Keralam and yet there is confusion," he said, while taking a dig at the party’s internal tussle over the chief minister’s post.

The BJP also compared the Kerala situation with Congress governments in Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, alleging that leadership disputes continued wherever the party was in power.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a jibe at the Congress over the delay in naming Kerala’s next chief minister, accusing the party leadership of 'allegedly stabbing its own leaders in the back' and indecision amid the prolonged suspense over the CM face.

As criticism mounted, Congress leaders repeatedly defended the delay, insisting that the party was following a democratic process.

Hitting back at the BJP, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala reminded PM Modi that the BJP itself had taken nearly 50 days to decide the Delhi chief minister earlier this year.

"PM Modi should remember that it took him 50 days to announce the Chief Minister in Delhi. Only now have I realised that the Prime Minister seems to have memory loss. The same Prime Minister who created uncertainty in Delhi by not announcing the Chief Minister for 50 days is now criticising the Congress. The Prime Minister should not forget the past." Chennithala said.

Senior leader K Muraleedharan used multiple analogies to explain the prolonged suspense.

"There is no point in walking inside a moving train. The train has not yet reached the station," he remarked while comparing the CM selection process to waiting for a train to arrive.

Later, KPCC chief Sunny Joseph borrowed terminology from the Vatican while hinting at an imminent decision. "White smoke can be expected soon," he said.

IUML pressure grows

Even Congress allies began losing patience as the delay stretched beyond a week.

The IUML, the Congress's biggest ally in Kerala, publicly maintained that it would accept the high command’s decision, but several League leaders privately expressed concern that the prolonged indecision was sending the wrong message.

Senior IUML leader PK Kunhalikutty described the delay as 'natural' in a democratic process but also indicated that the alliance expected clarity soon.

The Congress leadership reportedly held multiple rounds of consultations with IUML leaders before finalising the decision.

Delhi becomes centre of action

As Kerala waited, Delhi became the nerve centre of the CM selection process.

Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi held a series of discussions with Kerala leaders, former KPCC chiefs, MLAs and alliance representatives.

Satheesan, Venugopal, Chennithala and Sunny Joseph were all summoned to the national capital for consultations.

Party insiders indicated that the Congress leadership was trying to balance multiple factors, including public perception, MLA support, alliance dynamics, caste equations, organisational stability and future leadership transition.

Final decision after 10 days

Finally, on May 14, the Congress ended the suspense.

At a press conference in New Delhi, AICC Kerala in-charge Deepa Dasmunsi officially announced that VD Satheesan had been appointed leader of the Congress Legislature Party and would become Kerala's next chief minister.

The announcement came after extensive consultations involving Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Kharge, AICC observers, former KPCC chiefs, MPs and alliance partners.

Satheesan, visibly emotional after the announcement, thanked the party leadership and dedicated his chief ministership to the people of Kerala.

"I am humbled by the trust placed in me by the party and the people," he said.

Calling it 'a new era, a new Kerala,' Satheesan promised to address the state’s economic challenges and debt crisis.

KC Venugopal publicly accepted the decision and pledged complete support to Satheesan and the new government.

"I am a loyal Congressman. For me the party is everything. I don’t want an image at the cost of the party," Venugopal said.

Ramesh Chennithala too maintained that every Congress worker would stand by the high command’s decision.

The 10-day delay transformed what should have been a triumphant return to power into one of the Congress' most closely watched internal battles in recent years.