Senior Congress leader VD Satheesan on Wednesday quoted Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he made a case for himself for the post of Chief Minister following the emphatic victory in the Keralam Assembly elections.
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Speaking at an Idea Exchange session hosted by The Indian Express, Satheesan emphasised that administrative experience should not be the deciding factor for the chief minister post, underlining that leadership vision and team-building ability matter more.
Addressing questions about his lack of administrative experience, Satheesan cited examples from Indian politics to make his point. “Administrative experience is not an issue. Narendra Modi became Chief Minister without prior administrative experience. He was a party organiser, not even a senior parliamentarian,” Satheesan said, also referring to former Kerala CM V. S. Achuthanandan.
‘Vision and Team Matter More Than Experience’
“The vision of a leader is very important and the main thing is team building. Selecting the right people around, that shows your leadership,” Satheesan, said.
Other frontrunners for the chief minister’s post include K. C. Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala. Satheesan, however, maintained that the Congress has an established process for leadership selection, with the final call to be taken by the party high command after consulting MLAs and senior leaders.
Congress Win Driven by Strategy, Secular Positioning
Highlighting the party’s electoral strategy, Satheesan said groundwork for the victory began nearly two years ago through consultations, policy discussions, and sector-specific conclaves. He added that the Congress’s firm stand on secularism played a key role in winning public trust.
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“The LDF is now the extreme right. We are the Nehruvian Left,” he said, pointing to what he described as an erosion of CPI(M)’s grassroots strength. He also stressed that the party’s refusal to engage in communal rhetoric, despite internal resistance, helped consolidate support across communities.
On the Congress’s national challenges, Satheesan said the party needs to modernise its campaign strategies and better connect with younger voters. “We must speak the language of Gen Z and adapt to changing political communication,” he said, warning that outdated campaigning methods could hurt the party’s prospects in future elections.
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