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V. D. Satheesan
Vadasseri Damodara Menon Satheesan (born 31 May 1964) is an Indian politician, lawyer and author who is serving as the 13th Chief Minister of Kerala since May 2026. He has represented the Paravur Assembly constituency in the Kerala Legislative Assembly since 2001.
In the 2026 Kerala Legislative Assembly election, he led the Congress-led UDF to a landslide victory, with the alliance securing 102 seats in the 140-member assembly and ending the CPI(M)-led LDF's decade-long rule in the state.
Vadasseri Damodara Menon Satheesan was born on 31 May 1964 in Nettoor, Cochin, Kerala, into a Nair family, to Vadasseri Vilasini Amma and K. Damodara Menon. He studied at Panangad High School in Panangad. He completed his Pre-degree and B.A. in Sociology from Sacred Heart College, Thevara. He then did his LL.B. from the Kerala Law Academy Law College and LL.M. from Government Law College in Thiruvananthapuram. He also holds a Post Graduate Diploma in social work from Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, Kalamassery.
Satheesan practiced Law in the Kerala High Court for around 10 years in the 1990s. He is fond of reading and trekking. He has also authored two books. He is married to R. Lakshmi Priya, and the couple have a daughter, Unnimaya.
Satheesan started his political journey as a student activist, joining Kerala Students Union (KSU). He was elected as the chairman of Mahatma Gandhi University Union during 1986–1987 as a KSU candidate. He also served as the secretary for National Students' Union and later rose through the Youth Congress.
Satheesan's first foray into legislative politics was in 1996, when he was still practising as a lawyer. He contested as a candidate for the Kerala Legislative Assembly from Paravur, then a communist stronghold. He lost that election to the Communist Party of India candidate P. Raju by a slender margin. He contested again from the same constituency in 2001 and won. He has held that seat since, winning consecutive elections in 2006, 2011, 2016, 2021, and 2026.
His political breakthrough came in May 2021, when the Congress Working Committee declared V. D. Satheesan as the Leader of the Opposition in the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly. His appointment was unexpected since he had no prior ministerial experience. He was previously denied ministerial positions, reportedly due to his strained relationships with influential communitarian and communal lobbies.
Since then, he emerged as a key leader of the United Democratic Front (Kerala) (UDF) and a vocal critic of the ruling Left Democratic Front. He received credit as an architect of UDF victories in the 2024 National Lok Sabha election, 2025 local government body elections, multiple by-elections, and the 2026 Legislative Assemby election. He has been widely credited with leading the UDF to a decisive victory in 2026, winning 102 of 140 seats.
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V. D. Satheesan
Vadasseri Damodara Menon Satheesan (born 31 May 1964) is an Indian politician, lawyer and author who is serving as the 13th Chief Minister of Kerala since May 2026. He has represented the Paravur Assembly constituency in the Kerala Legislative Assembly since 2001.
In the 2026 Kerala Legislative Assembly election, he led the Congress-led UDF to a landslide victory, with the alliance securing 102 seats in the 140-member assembly and ending the CPI(M)-led LDF's decade-long rule in the state.
Vadasseri Damodara Menon Satheesan was born on 31 May 1964 in Nettoor, Cochin, Kerala, into a Nair family, to Vadasseri Vilasini Amma and K. Damodara Menon. He studied at Panangad High School in Panangad. He completed his Pre-degree and B.A. in Sociology from Sacred Heart College, Thevara. He then did his LL.B. from the Kerala Law Academy Law College and LL.M. from Government Law College in Thiruvananthapuram. He also holds a Post Graduate Diploma in social work from Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, Kalamassery.
Satheesan practiced Law in the Kerala High Court for around 10 years in the 1990s. He is fond of reading and trekking. He has also authored two books. He is married to R. Lakshmi Priya, and the couple have a daughter, Unnimaya.
Satheesan started his political journey as a student activist, joining Kerala Students Union (KSU). He was elected as the chairman of Mahatma Gandhi University Union during 1986–1987 as a KSU candidate. He also served as the secretary for National Students' Union and later rose through the Youth Congress.
Satheesan's first foray into legislative politics was in 1996, when he was still practising as a lawyer. He contested as a candidate for the Kerala Legislative Assembly from Paravur, then a communist stronghold. He lost that election to the Communist Party of India candidate P. Raju by a slender margin. He contested again from the same constituency in 2001 and won. He has held that seat since, winning consecutive elections in 2006, 2011, 2016, 2021, and 2026.
His political breakthrough came in May 2021, when the Congress Working Committee declared V. D. Satheesan as the Leader of the Opposition in the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly. His appointment was unexpected since he had no prior ministerial experience. He was previously denied ministerial positions, reportedly due to his strained relationships with influential communitarian and communal lobbies.
Since then, he emerged as a key leader of the United Democratic Front (Kerala) (UDF) and a vocal critic of the ruling Left Democratic Front. He received credit as an architect of UDF victories in the 2024 National Lok Sabha election, 2025 local government body elections, multiple by-elections, and the 2026 Legislative Assemby election. He has been widely credited with leading the UDF to a decisive victory in 2026, winning 102 of 140 seats.