V.D. Satheesan has been appointed as the next Chief Minister of Kerala, following the Congress party's significant victory in the State Assembly elections held on May 4, 2026. The Congress won 102 seats in the 140-seat Assembly, ending a decade-long rule by the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front. Satheesan, who has served as the Opposition Leader from 2021 to 2026, succeeds Pinarayi Vijayan. His appointment was confirmed after a series of discussions among senior Congress leaders, resolving a competitive situation involving Ramesh Chennithala and K.C. Venugopal. Satheesan, born on May 31, 1964, in Nettur, Ernakulam district, has a long history in politics, having won elections consistently since 2001. A meeting of the Congress Legislature Party is scheduled at the Indira Bhavan, where all party MLAs are expected to attend.