V. D. Satheesan
{{Short description|Indian politician (born 1964)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = V. D. Satheesan
| native_name =
| image =
| image_size = 200px
| caption =
| office = [[List of leaders of the opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly|Leader of the Opposition
in the Kerala Legislative Assembly]]
| deputy = P. K. Kunhalikutty
| term_start = {{Start date|2021|05|22|df=yes}}
| term_end =
| governor = Arif Mohammad Khan
| predecessor = Ramesh Chennithala
| office1 = Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly
| term_start1 = {{Start date|2001|5|}}
| term_end1 =
| constituency1 = Paravur{{Cite web |url=http://ernakulam.nic.in/mlaekm.htm |title=Ernakulam District MLA List |access-date=9 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130407040557/http://ernakulam.nic.in/mlaekm.htm |archive-date=7 April 2013 |url-status=dead }}
| predecessor1 = P. Raju
| successor =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1964|05|31|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Nettoor, Kerala, India
| death_date =
| death_place =
| resting_place =
| nationality = Indian
| party = Indian National Congress
| spouse = R. Lakshmipriya
| relations =
| children = 1
| parents = K. Damodara Menon
V. Vilasini Amma
| residence = North Paravur
| education = Master of Laws
| alma_mater = {{Unbulleted_list|Sacred Heart College, Thevara| Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, Kochi|Kerala Law Academy Law College, Thiruvananthapuram|Government Law College, Thiruvananthapuram}}
| occupation = {{hlist|Politician|Social Worker|Lawyer}}
| known_for =
| signature =
| website =
}}
{{Indian name|Satheesan|Vadassery Damodaran}}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.
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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/congress-appoints-vd-satheesan-as-leader-of-opposition-in-kerala-101621693978364-amp.html|title = Congress appoints VD Satheesan as leader of opposition in Kerala|date = 22 May 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/company/muziris-projects-limited/U74999KL2014SGC036528?from=mdr|title = Muziris Projects Limited Information - Muziris Projects Limited Company Profile, Muziris Projects Limited News on the Economic Times}}
Early life and career
Satheesan was born to K. Damodara Menon and V. Vilasini Amma on 31 May 1964 in Nettoor, Ernakulam District.[http://www.hindustanpages.com/shri-v-d-satheesan-mla-paravur-kerala Hindustan Pages] 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.{{Cite web|url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/mbifl2020/speakers/v-d-satheesanv-d-satheesan-mbifl-2020-1.4471666|title = V D Satheesan}} 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.
For a brief period Satheesan practised law in the Kerala High Court.{{Cite web|url=http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/13kla/members/v_d_satheesan.htm|title = Members - Kerala Legislature}} He is married to R. Lakshmi Priya, and the couple have a daughter Unnimaya.{{Cite web |title=പിണറായി വിജയന്റെ കരുത്തിനെ നേരിടാൻ വി.ഡി സതീശന്റെ പോരാട്ടവീര്യം |url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/news/kerala/2021/05/22/satheesan-as-a-person-against-pinarayi-s-power.html |access-date=26 May 2021 |website=ManoramaOnline |language=ml}}
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.{{Cite web|title=Members - Kerala Legislature|url=http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/13kla/members/v_d_satheesan.htm|access-date=20 May 2021|website=www.niyamasabha.org}}
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.{{Cite web|last=Sushanth|title=ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS 1957 - 2016(Kerala)|url=https://data-analytics.github.io/Election_Data/kerala.html|access-date=20 May 2021|website=data-analytics.GitHub.io}}
- 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.{{Cite web|title=Members - Kerala Legislature|url=http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/13kla/members/v_d_satheesan.htm|access-date=20 May 2021|website=www.niyamasabha.org}}
- 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.{{Cite web|title=Kerala Assembly Election Results in 2016|url=https://www.elections.in/kerala/assembly-constituencies/2016-election-results.html|access-date=22 May 2021|website=www.elections.in}} 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 21,301 votes.{{Cite news|last=Sudhi|first=K. s|date=19 March 2021|title=Kerala Assembly Elections {{!}} Congress banks yet again on Satheesan in Paravur|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/elections/kerala-assembly/congress-banks-yet-again-on-satheesan-in-paravur/article34103288.ece|access-date=20 May 2021|issn=0971-751X}}
On 22 May 2021, Congress Working Committee declared V D Satheesan as the Leader of the Opposition in the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly.{{Cite web|last=തങ്ങള്|first=ശിഹാബുദ്ദീന്|title=ഇനി പ്രതിപക്ഷത്തിന്റെ ചാട്ടുളി സതീശന്; തിരിച്ചുവരവിലേക്കുള്ള ആദ്യചുവട്|url=https://www.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/vd-satheeshan-leader-of-opposition-in-kerala-1.5685199|access-date=22 May 2021|website=Mathrubhumi|language=en}}
References
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Category:Politicians from Ernakulam district
Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Kerala
Category:Kerala MLAs 2001–2006
Category:Kerala MLAs 2006–2011
Category:Kerala MLAs 2011–2016
Category:Kerala MLAs 2016–2021