V.D. Satheesan, Kerala’s Congress Leader of Opposition, is hitting rough patches in his political career. Once hailed as the fresh face to shake up the party’s old ways, he’s now dealing with pushback from inside his own ranks—not from rivals like the ruling CPI(M), but from fellow Congress members.
Back in 2021, party leaders skipped over veterans like Ramesh Chennithala to put Satheesan in the top opposition spot. The goal? To end the deep-rooted factional fights that have defined Kerala Congress politics for decades. Think of the old rivalries between K. Karunakaran and A.K. Antony, or Oommen Chandy and Chennithala—these group battles shaped the party’s story. At first, Satheesan’s bold style kept heavyweights like Chennithala and state chief K. Sudhakaran in check.
But things have flipped. Younger Congress stars, including Shafi Parambil, P.C. Vishnunath, and V.T. Balram, are now speaking out against him. Tensions boiled over recently with first-time MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, who faced sexual misconduct claims. Satheesan took a hard line against Mamkootathil, but that sparked backlash on social media from supporters of the “young turks.” They slammed him for sidelining a teammate.
One political watcher points out the twist: “Satheesan and V.M. Sudheeran gave Oommen Chandy a tough ride during his 2011-2016 chief minister days. Now, Satheesan knows what that feels like.”
It’s not just internal drama. Satheesan is also losing ground with key community groups in Kerala, like the Nair Service Society (NSS) and Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam. These organizations play a big role in elections and could erode Congress’s core voter base.
Satheesan has held the Paravur seat since 2001, after losing his first bid in 1996. Lately, whispers suggest he’s eyeing a move to Thrikkakara, a reliable Congress stronghold that might offer more security.
He’s still fighting fiercely in the state assembly. But party insiders warn that the next local body elections will put his leadership to the test. A stumble there could hurt his standing and fire up his challengers even more.
With Congress fighting to bounce back in Kerala, Satheesan’s skill at steering through this mess could decide his future—and the party’s path ahead in the state.
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