VD Satheesan, who served as the Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, has been officially named as the Congress high command's final pick for Chief Minister following the United Democratic Front's landslide victory in the 2026 Assembly elections. According to reports from NDTV Profit, the 61-year-old lawyer emerged as the party's choice after internal discussions that also considered KC Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala for the top post. Satheesan began his electoral journey in 2001, winning from North Paravur in Kerala's Ernakulam district, and has since retained the constituency for six straight terms. The Congress officially announced his name during a press conference on Wednesday, with the party confirming that he succeeds Pinarayi Vijayan following the UDF's decisive electoral victory.
According to the latest election affidavit submitted during the 2026 Assembly elections, VD Satheesan and his wife Lakshmipriya together own assets valued at nearly ₹6.66 crore. This represents an updated figure from the previously declared net worth of over ₹6 crore that included movable and immovable properties. The Congress veteran has declared movable assets estimated at around ₹53.82 lakh, which includes cash holdings, bank deposits, investments and gold holdings. Satheesan reportedly maintains ₹64,000 cash in hand and owns bank shares worth ₹25,000, while also declaring ownership of nearly 35 grams of gold in his election affidavit. His wife Lakshmipriya has declared movable assets valued at nearly ₹68.45 lakh, which includes substantial cash reserves, bank savings, shares and substantial gold ownership. The affidavit also lists an FY25 income of about ₹2.84 lakh, along with vehicle and cash holdings. As reported by NDTV Profit, the disclosures reveal a wealth profile dominated by real estate, jewellery and bank deposits, while total liabilities stand at approximately ₹41.45 lakh.
Gold jewellery continues to account for a significant share of the family's movable wealth, with Satheesan declaring 35 grams of gold worth ₹4.62 lakh while his wife reported ownership of 1,128 grams of gold valued at nearly ₹1.49 crore. According to the affidavit, together the family's gold assets were estimated at more than ₹1.53 crore. While no vehicle was listed in Satheesan's own name, a Volkswagen Taigun registered in a dependent's name was valued at around ₹9.61 lakh. The family affidavit also mentions a vehicle worth approximately ₹9.61 lakh registered in the name of their daughter. Some of these properties came through inheritance, while the family purchased others over the years, according to the affidavit details.
The affidavit revealed that Satheesan and his family own immovable assets worth more than ₹4.27 crore. As reported by NDTV Profit, Satheesan declared non-agricultural lands in Kanayannur and North Paravur taluks with a combined estimated market value of over ₹2.17 crore. His spouse separately declared agricultural land in Chengamanad village valued at around ₹61 lakh, jointly held with her sister and spanning more than one acre. Additionally, she disclosed non-agricultural land in Nedumbassery village with an estimated value exceeding ₹1.24 crore. The family's property portfolio forms a significant portion of their total declared net worth, with Satheesan owning immovable properties worth approximately ₹2.42 crore and his wife separately declaring inherited land worth around ₹1.85 crore. The significant difference between declared assets and annual income suggests a long-term accumulation of wealth rather than recent earnings, highlighting the importance of examining asset growth over multiple election cycles for a clearer financial picture.
Despite significant assets, the affidavit shows that the family carries financial liabilities. VD Satheesan reportedly has pending loans worth around ₹24 lakh, including housing and vehicle-related borrowings. Meanwhile, his wife Lakshmipriya has liabilities amounting to nearly ₹17.45 lakh. According to the election affidavit, Satheesan's wife Lakshmipriya has declared movable assets valued at nearly ₹68.45 lakh, which includes cash reserves, bank savings, shares and substantial gold ownership. The Congress leader declared immovable assets worth about ₹2.42 crore in his own name while properties worth nearly ₹1.85 crore were listed in his spouse's name. Overall, Satheesan declared movable assets worth about ₹57.2 lakh in his own name while assets exceeding ₹1.7 crore were listed in his spouse's name. The total liabilities stand at approximately ₹41.45 lakh.
