Senior Congress leader K C Venugopal on Thursday accepted the party high command’s decision to appoint V D Satheesan as Kerala chief minister and said he would fully support the new UDF government.
Thiruvananthapuram: Senior Congress leader K C Venugopal played a major role in the Kerala chief ministerial selection process amid days of internal consultations within the UDF alliance.
The Congress on Thursday officially selected V D Satheesan as the next chief minister of Kerala, ending days of internal deliberations and leadership uncertainty within the party-led UDF alliance. The decision was taken after a series of high-level consultations involving senior Congress leaders and central observers, following the UDF’s strong mandate in the Kerala Assembly elections. Satheesan’s selection comes after an intense three-way contest within the party leadership, and he is expected to lead the formation of the new government in the state.
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Although Venugopal was considered one of the strongest contenders for the chief minister’s post and reportedly enjoyed support from a majority of Congress MLAs and MPs, the Congress leadership ultimately selected V D Satheesan to lead the government in Kerala.
Reacting to the announcement, Venugopal said he “wholeheartedly” accepted the decision taken by the Congress high command and congratulated Satheesan on being chosen as the chief ministerial candidate.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Venugopal stated that he would provide complete support to Satheesan and the incoming UDF government in Kerala. He also expressed confidence that the new administration would deliver on the promises made to voters during the election campaign.
The Congress officially announced Satheesan’s name on Thursday after nearly ten days of uncertainty and lobbying following the UDF’s emphatic victory in the Kerala Assembly elections, where the alliance secured 102 seats in the 140-member House.
The prolonged delay in selecting the chief minister had triggered protests and pressure from party workers and different camps within the Congress. The final decision came after consultations involving senior leaders including Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Alongside Venugopal, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala was also in the race for the top post before the leadership settled on Satheesan.
Published: 14 May 2026, 12:53 pm IST
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