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Trivandrum: After being named as Keralam’s next chief minister, senior Congress leader VD Satheesan has come into focus for being the surprise element in the state’s politics. Over the years, Satheesan had missed out on several crucial positions, including KSU president, Youth Congress president and KPCC president. According to reports, he had even missed a ministerial berth.

But in 2021, the Congress high command broke factional equations and appointed him Leader of the Opposition. This came as a surprise to many as the party had sidestepped the powerful Oommen Chandy-Ramesh Chennithala camp. Now, once again, it is being regarding as something surprising for many within the party to see him reach the top post.

Looking at his political career

He joined politics early through student activism at Panangad High School and at Sacred Heart College, Thevara. He became arts club secretary, university union councillor and eventually chairman of the MG University Union.

But he was repeatedly denied organisational posts in the KSU and Youth Congress. However, he didn’t get bogged down. He earned a law degree from the Thiruvananthapuram Law Academy. Just when he dreamed of building a career in the Supreme Court, politics drew him back.

In 1996, the Congress gave him a seat to contest from Paravur. The constituency was then considered a Left bastion. He was defeated by CPI candidate P. Raju. But Satheesan spent the next five years immersed in constituency groundwork and in 2001 he won Paravur—a seat he has retained ever since.

Financial assets worth Rs 6 crore

Reports stated that he and his family own assets worth more than Rs 6 crore. According to reports based on his election affidavit, Satheesan has declared a mix of movable and immovable assets, including residential properties, bank deposits and investments.