Following a decisive victory in the Kerala Assembly elections, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has appointed VD Satheesan as the new Chief Minister of Kerala. This decision, announced by AICC in-charge of Kerala Deepa Dasmunshi and central observers Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik, comes after Satheesan edged out prominent contenders K C Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala. Despite Venugopal being favored by many MLAs and party leadership, grassroots support for Satheesan ultimately prevailed. Discussions with senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, indicated that public opinion and alliance partners favored Satheesan, who is a sitting MLA, thus avoiding potential by-elections. The UDF's victory was substantial, securing 102 out of 140 Assembly seats, a significant comeback after a decade, while the Left Democratic Front was reduced to just 35 seats. Satheesan, who has served as the Leader of the Opposition since 2021, played a crucial role in repositioning the Congress as a formidable opposition force, enhancing its visibility and grassroots support ahead of the 2026 elections.