V. D. Satheesan

Vadassery Damodaran Satheesan (born 31 May 1964) is an Indian politician from the Indian National Congress, representing Paravur Assembly Constituency in Ernakulam District, serving as Leader of the Opposition (UDF) in the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly.^[2][3]

V. D. Satheesan
Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office 22 May 2021 (2021-05-22)
Governor	Arif Mohammad Khan
Deputy	P. K. Kunhalikutty
Preceded by	Ramesh Chennithala
Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office May 2001 (2001-05)
Preceded by	P. Raju
Constituency	Paravur[1]
Personal details
Born	(1964-05-31) 31 May 1964 (age 61) Nettoor, Kerala, India
Political party	Indian National Congress
Spouse	R. Lakshmipriya
Children	1
Parent(s)	K. Damodara Menon V. Vilasini Amma
Residence	North Paravur
Education	Master of Laws
Alma mater	Sacred Heart College, Thevara Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, Kochi Kerala Law Academy Law College, Thiruvananthapuram Government Law College, Thiruvananthapuram
Occupation	Politician Social Worker Lawyer

In this Indian name, the name Vadassery Damodaran is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Satheesan.

Satheesan succeeded Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala as the Leader of Opposition after the 2021 Kerala Legislative Assembly election. He also serves as the Vice President of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee.^[2][3]

Early life and career

Satheesan was born to K. Damodara Menon and V. Vilasini Amma on 31 May 1964 in Nettoor, Ernakulam District.^[4] He completed his primary education from Panangad High School, under-graduation from Sacred Heart College, Thevara, and post-graduation in Social Work (MSW) from Rajagiri College of Social Sciences.^[5] He then completed his Bachelor of Laws (L L B) from Kerala Law Academy Law College and Master of Laws (L L M) from Government Law College, Thiruvananthapuram.^[6]

For a brief period Satheesan practised law in the Kerala High Court.^[6] He is married to R. Lakshmi Priya, and the couple have a daughter Unnimaya.^[7]

Political career

Satheesan was the chairman of Mahatma Gandhi University Union during 1986-1987. He has also served as the secretary for National Students' Union.^[8]

VD Satheesan's political debut was in 1996 when he lost to CPI's candidate P Raju in the Kerala Legislative Assembly elections.

• Satheesan was first elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 2001 when he was practising as an advocate in the Kerala High Court.
• In 2006 Kerala Assembly Elections, he won the election in Paravur Constituency against K M Dinakaran.^[9]
• In the next Kerala Legislative Assembly in 2011, he was again elected by defeating Pannyan Raveendran of Communist Party of India by 11,349 votes.^[10]
• In 2016, he was re-elected as M L A from Paravur Constituency by defeating Sarada Mohan of Communist Party of India by a margin of 20,634 votes.^[11] He served as the Chief Whip of the Indian National Congress in the 12th Assembly.

• In 2021, he was elected to Kerala legislative assembly again for the fifth time from the Paravur constituency by defeating M. T. Nixon of Communist Party of India by a margin of 2000 votes.^[12]

On 22 May 2021, Congress Working Committee declared V D Satheesan as the Leader of the Opposition in the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly.^[13]