It might have taken Congress over 10 days to finalize Kerala's chief minister, but V D Satheesan's rise to the throne was almost predestined. It was the outcome of years of sweat and toil as opposition leader, when Pinarayi Vijayan loomed large over Kerala politics.
Satheesan instilled confidence and belief within Congress and United Democratic Front (UDF) reeling from successive losses. He set narratives and stitched together a rainbow coalition ranging from Left turncoats to Jamaat-e-Islami. In the end, the victory of UDF wasn't merely fashioned by Congress or its allies, but by the public which heeded Satheesan's call.
Contentious Ascension as Opposition Leader
Satheesan's ascension as opposition leader in 2021 was contentious, given how he did not have a majority within the Congress Legislative Party (CLP). But the 'high command' which picked him over incumbent Ramesh Chennithala was eventually outmaneuvered by Satheesan himself as numbers did not matter once again when it came to the naming of the chief minister. K C Venugopal enjoyed brute majority in the CLP and had the ear of Rahul Gandhi, but it did not suffice as the groundswell of support in favor of Satheesan prevailed upon the party.
Impressive Campaign and Public Support
It was a fitting culmination to an impressive campaign which struck a chord with the youth, women and the public at large. Kerala responded to Satheesan's call to uproot the unpopular Pinarayi Vijayan government which banked on a humongous public relations campaign to stay afloat. Satheesan's confidence was evident in how he predicted over 100 seats for the UDF coalition along with the defeat of a dozen sitting ministers. In fact, he staked everything when he boldly declared that he would go into political exile if he couldn't lead the UDF to victory.
Satheesan's assertions energized the Congress workers at the grassroots whose morale had taken a beating over the course of the decade-long rule of the Left Democratic Front. Having last won a decisive mandate in 2001, Satheesan was instrumental in debunking the narrative that the Left was unbeatable in up to 60 constituencies after the 2008 assembly delimitation. The CM-designate rightly hypothesized that it was the drift of the Muslim minorities post the emergence of Narendra Modi at Center that had decisively worked for Vijayan in 2016 and 2021. Satheesan managed to take the Muslim community into confidence, without alienating the Christian community in the process.
Handling Personal Attacks and Asserting Leadership
His public image was also bolstered by the vicious personal attacks that he had to endure from the likes of Vellappally Natesan and Sukumaran Nair — general secretaries of the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam and the Nair Service Society, respectively. When Venugopal, Chennithala and Vijayan demurred, Satheesan never hesitated to take on Natesan's vicious statements against the Muslim community.
In a way Satheesan has taken after veteran A K Antony to assert himself in Kerala's public sphere. The argument that Kerala's secular society had undertaken a right turn was belied in the election, as Satheesan led the UDF to an emphatic victory. That Kerala had a Left psyche was always known, but this election proved that it remains the case even today. With Vijayan back in the unfamiliar role of opposition leader, it will be interesting to see whether the traditional Left manages to recapture the Left space in Kerala, or the Congress continues to dominate the space under Satheesan.
Challenges Ahead for the New Chief Minister
The new chief minister must balance competing community interests and be seen treating everyone fairly. Satheesan also must find ways to shore up the state coffers to fulfill the UDF's pre-election guarantees. Most importantly, Satheesan needs to ensure that power doesn't corrupt him, or take after the arrogant ways of his predecessor. As the adage goes, with great power comes great responsibility.
