"He is like a mentor to me": VD Satheesan seeks VM Sudheeran's blessings after CM announcement
Thiruvananthapuram, May 14
Keralam Chief Minister-designate VD Satheesan on Thursday said he visited senior Congress leader VM Sudheeran to seek his blessings after the Congress officially announced him as the next Chief Minister following the UDF's sweeping victory in the 2026 Assembly elections.
Speaking to the reporters, Satheesan said, "I came to seek the blessings of VM Sudheeran. He is like a mentor to me. I was fortunate to serve as Vice President when he was the President. He is someone who has the authority to scold and correct me."
Earlier in the day, the Congress officially announced that VD Satheesean, whose leadership helped the UDF alliance sweep back to power in Keralam, has been appointed as the chief minister.
The six-time MLA from Peravoor, Vadassery Damodaran Satheesan, who turns 62 at the end of this month, had steered the United Democratic Front's (UDF) landslide victory in the 2026 Assembly Elections, where the alliance secured a thumping 102 seats in the 140-member house.
Satheesan is regarded as one of the senior-most leaders in the Kerala Congress unit and has served as the Leader of Opposition in the outgoing Assembly.
Earlier, Senior Congress leader AK Antony extended his support to Keralam Chief Minister-designate VD Satheesan after meeting him in Thiruvananthapuram, expressing confidence in his leadership and outlining expectations for the state's development trajectory.
Speaking to ANI, Antony said he wished Satheesan success and hoped that under his leadership, Keralam would emerge as one of the most developed states in South India in terms of both development and welfare measures.
"I wish him success. I wish that during his tenure, he must be able to take Kerala as one of the best-developed states in South India in development and welfare measures. And I fully support the decision taken by the Congress high command with the blessings of Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Kharge and Rahul Gandhi to take this decision. So I fully support this," Antony said.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally some good news for Kerala! After years of LDF rule, we needed fresh leadership. Satheesan's humility is refreshing - going to Sudheeran's house shows he values party unity. But let's see if he can fix our financial situation.
AK Antony's support is crucial. He's been a giant in Kerala Congress. Satheesan has big shoes to fill - hope he focuses on infrastructure and job creation. Our youth deserve better opportunities.
As a Malayali, I'm cautiously optimistic. Satheesan seems like a decent leader but we've seen many CMs come and go. The real test will be how he handles our state's debt and unemployment issues. Actions speak louder than blessings.
This is what Keralam needs - a leader who respects the party's old guard but also has a vision for the future. Satheesan's Peravoor background gives him rural perspective which is important. Let's hope he doesn't get caught in factionalism.
I'm happy UDF won but let's be realistic - Satheesan needs to show he's his own man, not just a puppet. Party loyalty is fine but Keralam needs decisive action on issues like Wayanad landslides and Calicut airport. Wishing him all the best though! 👍
A Ananya R