The landslide win in Nilambur bypoll reaffirmed Satheesan’s reputation as a sharp political strategist – a leader known for his blend of discipline, team spirit and the instinct to take bold, sometimes controversial calls.
Published Jun 29, 2025 | 10:29 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 29, 2025 | 10:29 PM
V D Satheesan and Ramesh Chennithala during a function
Synopsis: The Congress’s emphatic win in the Nilambur bye-election has sparked a fresh tussle for control within the party. VD Satheesan’s rising stature – and the ‘Captain’ tag – has unsettled his senior colleagues, with Ramesh Chennithala openly expressing his displeasure. As the high command moves to contain the fallout, the contest for command in Kerala Congress is now out in the open.
In Kerala, a Congress victory is rarely just that. It often marks the start of a new power struggle.
The party’s win in the Nilambur bye-election has set off fresh jockeying for influence, as leaders compete for credit and the symbolic title of ‘Captain’.
At the centre of the tussle is not just the question of who deserves the Captain tag, but a deeper contest over who will steer the party in the 2026 Assembly elections – and potentially claim the Chief Minister’s post, should the UDF return to power.
For Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan, the Nilambur bye-election wasn’t just another trophy to line up alongside the UDF’s victories in Thrikkakara, Puthuppally, Palakkad and Wayanad.
A social media post indirectly saying Satheesan as the CM in the Assembly 2026 polls. However, the registration number as said in the car is that of a bike’s.
It was a defining contest – one that not only consolidated his position within the Congress but also gave him crucial momentum against heavyweight leaders in the state unit.
The landslide win reaffirmed Satheesan’s reputation as a sharp political strategist – a leader known for his blend of discipline, team spirit and the instinct to take bold, sometimes controversial calls.
One such flashpoint in the Nilambur bye-election was his firm opposition to PV Anvar’s reported bid to switch sides to the UDF.
While party seniors, including Congress Working Committee member Ramesh Chennithala and IUML stalwart PK Kunhalikutty, were allegedly open to Anvar’s entry, Satheesan stood his ground and quietly buried the idea.
Insiders reveal that Satheesan was acutely aware of what was at stake in Nilambur.
A defeat here would have been an unprecedented setback for his leadership.
Unfazed, he told the media, “If UDF wins Nilambur, it’s because of the team. If we lose, the responsibility is mine alone.”
When Aryadan Shoukath clinched the seat with a commanding margin of over 11,000 votes, the verdict did more than lift UDF’s spirits – it ignited a fresh wave of admiration for Satheesan.
Social media lit up with praise, and supporters crowned him with a new moniker: ‘Captain’.
The irony wasn’t lost on Kerala’s political circles.
The CPI(M) had once, and continues, anointed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan with the same title, and now, with Satheesan’s growing stature and successive bye-election triumphs, murmurs within the Congress rank and file hint at a possible projection: could Satheesan be the UDF’s Chief Ministerial face for the next Assembly elections?
But the new-found adulation has stirred undercurrents.
Not everyone in the Congress is thrilled about Satheesan’s rising clout, and the ‘Captain’ tag has ruffled a fair few feathers in the party’s old guard.
Nilambur has sealed one verdict – that of Satheesan’s unchallenged command over the Congress campaign machinery.
The bigger political battle, however, seems just about to begin.
Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has expressed his displeasure over the media and social media bestowing the title of ‘Captain’ on Satheesan following the Nilambur bye-election victory.
Actor Ramesh Pisharody referring Satheesan as Captain in a social media post
Talking to the media, Chennithala indirectly criticised Satheesan, recalling that despite winning several bye-elections as opposition leader, he was never given such a title.
“When I was Opposition Leader and won bye-elections, no one called me ‘Captain’. No newspaper or channel gave me that title. Even Oommen Chandy was never called by such names. This double standard is evident,” said Chennithala.
He, however, added that the opposition leader naturally plays a major role in election victories.
Chennithala also asserted that the lion’s share of credit for the Nilambur win belonged to the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
“The League worked ahead of the Congress. Leaders like Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal and Kunhalikutty deserve a big salute. Kunhalikutty even campaigned door-to-door, as if it was the League’s own candidate contesting,” he said.
Following the Nilambur win, Satheesan made it clear that the emphatic UDF victory in the bye-election is not a personal achievement but a collective triumph of “Team UDF”.
Brushing aside the growing chorus hailing him as the new ‘Captain’, Satheesan said no decisions were made individually and that credit belongs to the alliance as a whole.
“The UDF worked like a single party this time. Everyone – including senior leaders – moved with one mind. The victory belongs to Team UDF, not to VD Satheesan,” he asserted.
Satheesan added that the Nilambur mandate is the spark that will fuel the UDF’s return to power in 2026 with “more than a hundred seats”.
He reminded voters that the alliance had promised not just a win, but to stand with the people in rebuilding Kerala, and that work would start immediately.
Amid internal murmurs about the ‘Captain’ label and senior leader Ramesh Chennithala’s apparent discomfort over it, Satheesan responded with a quip, rather cheekily,
“If some call me Captain, then Chennithala is Major.”
After the war of words between Satheesan and Chennithala crossed the line, MP Rajmohan Unnithan has stepped in with a blunt warning.
In a no-holds-barred remark to the media, Unnithan said no one should attempt to hijack the credit for the victory.
“Ramesh Chennithala’s move is a dangerous new trend. The KPCC president and the opposition leader both played pivotal roles in this win. No one should stoke unnecessary controversies. If this continues, we too will be forced to respond – and it won’t be pleasant,” Unnithan cautioned.
It’s learnt that the AICC has sent a firm message to its Kerala unit: stop the one-upmanship.
A social media post with Major and Captain tags
The scramble among senior Congress leaders to claim credit for the Nilambur bye-election victory has not gone down well with the party high command.
It is learnt that the AICC directed state leaders to end the public display of ego battles immediately.
The message came through loud and clear when KPCC President Sunny Joseph addressed the media on 27 June.
Hailing the victory as a testament to teamwork and grassroots Congress workers, Sunny refrained from glorifying any individual leader.
“This is a recognition of collective effort. It will empower and strengthen the UDF’s return,” he said.
Asked pointedly about the ongoing ‘Captain–Major’ controversy, and who the real ‘Captain’ of the Congress is, Sunny Joseph disarmed the query with a sharp one-liner: “I am a soldier.”
In a carefully worded resolution, the KPCC Political Affairs Committee congratulated the leaders and workers alike – diplomatically drawing a line under the leadership turf war that had begun to overshadow the party’s electoral gain.
At the same time, the ‘Captain’ tag bestowed upon Satheesan has sparked mixed emotions within the Congress and its UDF allies.
A Congress leader from central Kerala acknowledged Satheesan’s role.
“Let’s be honest – Satheesan gave decisive leadership in Nilambur. This isn’t about titles, it’s about political momentum. And it’s the people, not the leaders, calling him ‘Captain’. That says something about the mood on the ground.”
He added, “In modern politics, perception often weighs as much as numbers. Satheesan is emerging as a face people relate to – upright, assertive and disciplined. But we must also remember, politics is a long-distance run, not a sprint.”
However, not everyone in the party is on board with the new anointment.
Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan congratulating Aryadan Shoukath during his oath taking ceremony on 27 June
A senior leader from Thiruvananthapuram, known for his proximity to Ramesh Chennithala, pushed back.
“Elections are team efforts. This sudden glorification of one individual distorts the history of the Congress in Kerala. Leaders like Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala fought and won far tougher battles but neither demanded nor received such titles.”
He didn’t mince words: “This ‘Captain’ business is little more than a social media fad. Congress in Kerala has always prided itself on collective leadership. No one should jump the queue based on a few bye-election victories.”
The sentiment was echoed by an IUML leader, who subtly reminded that Nilambur’s victory was a UDF effort, not a one-man show.
“Let’s not forget – this was a UDF verdict. Our leaders and workers campaigned tirelessly. Nilambur’s mandate is against the LDF government, not a coronation ceremony for any individual.”
He added pointedly: “We’re soldiers of our respective parties. The people may give titles, but within the front, we move as one team. No room for personality cults here.”
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
