Kerala Chief Minister V.D.
Satheesan’s mention of his caste surname while taking oath of office on Monday (May 18, 2026) has invited criticism, including from within his own party with Congress leader Jinto John saying that it is better for the Congress to shed caste names to be more inclusive.
An old video of Mr. Satheesan swearing-in as an MLA with no mention of the caste name has also begun circulating on social media platforms.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Mr. John wrote that he will not refer to himself as ‘Thekkumkattil John Roman Catholic Jinto’ and that ‘Jinto John’ would suffice.
However, defending the Chief Minister, Congress leader B.R.M.
Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan’s mention of his caste surname while taking oath of office on Monday (May 18, 2026) has invited criticism, including from within his own party with Congress leader Jinto John saying that it is better for the Congress to shed caste names to be more inclusive.
An old video of Mr. Satheesan swearing-in as an MLA with no mention of the caste name has also begun circulating on social media platforms.
The Chief Minister had begun his oath with the line ‘I, Vadassery Damodara Menon Satheesan...’, while an old video of him taking oath as an MLA in the Assembly showed him beginning the oath with the line ‘I, V.D. Satheesan...’ The mention of the caste surname in the Chief Minister’s oath, which was not part of his previous oaths as MLA, had become a topic of discussion on social media platforms on Monday.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Mr. John wrote that he will not refer to himself as ‘Thekkumkattil John Roman Catholic Jinto’ and that ‘Jinto John’ would suffice. “Isn’t that the beauty of it? Even if it does not sound punchy enough, a Congress that doesn’t carry the baggage of caste is a lot more inclusive. My politics are also my convictions. Probably a slightly Left-leaning Congress conviction,” he wrote.
However, defending the Chief Minister, Congress leader B.R.M. Shafeer said that Mr. Satheesan’s full name in his official certificates and affidavits was Vadassery Damodara Menon Satheesan, although the media referred to him as V.D. Satheesan.
