When V.D. Satheesan takes office as the Chief Minister of Kerala, it marks the beginning of a new chapter in Kerala politics. With over twenty-five years in assembly, his strong political convictions have finally brought him to the helm of governance.
As he assumes the reins of power at the age of 61, Kerala looks forward with great anticipation to his transformation from a seasoned lawmaker to a strong ruler.
He has continuously represented the Paravur Assembly constituency in the Ernakulam district since 2001. He previously served as the 11th leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly from 2021 to 2026, anchoring the coalition’s grassroots rejuvenation.
Born on 31 May 1964 in Nettoor near Kochi to K. Damodara Menon and V. Vilasini Amma, Satheesan completed his early schooling at Panangad High School. After earning his law degree and postgraduate degree, he began his professional career as an advocate in the Kerala High Court, and later put his talent for presenting arguments in the Legislative Assembly.
V. D. Satheesan’s public life began with student politics. He served as the Chairman of the Mahatma Gandhi University Union during 1986-87 and later as the Secretary of the National Students Union. Although he tasted defeat in Paravur constituency in his first assembly poll in 1996, the constituency has stood by him in the elections since 2001. This time, VD Satheesan won by a majority of 20,600 votes.
Satheesan took over as the Opposition leader when the Congress-led UDF suffered a crushing defeat in the 2021 assembly elections. As Ramesh Chennithala’s successor, he had the huge task of reviving the party and the front..
His strategy delivered a decisive victory, capturing 18 of 20 Lok Sabha seats in 2024 and making major inroads in local self- government elections.
The 30-day ‘UDF Pudhu Yuga Yatra’ he led ahead of the 2026 assembly elections became a decisive turning point in Kerala politics. He has now become the Chief Minister by fulfilling his accurate prediction that the UDF would win more than 100 seats in the assembly.
He consistently challenged ecological rollbacks and advocated for development projects structured around climate change impact. Satheesan promised a progressive administration during his “Puthuyuga Yatra” campaign, pledging to implement Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to systematically resolve human-animal conflicts in hilly districts.
Recognized widely as an avid reader, Satheesan published a personal list of 60 books read during the year 2025. Married to R. Lakshmi Priya, with whom he has a daughter, Unnimaya.