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The Kerala Congress is facing mounting pressure as senior leaders have openly called for the resignation of Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil. The demand comes in the wake of audio clips that have surfaced, where the MLA allegedly is discussing a pregnancy and pressuring a woman to undergo an abortion.
Rahul Mamkootathil, who is facing allegations of sexual misconduct, resigned from his post as Kerala Youth Congress president. A day after allegations of sexual misconduct were made against him on August 20, an audio clip surfaced where a voice allegedly supposed to be Rahul is discussing a pregnancy. Two days later, on August 23, another audio clip surfaced, where the person, allegedly the Palakkad MLA, is convincing a woman to undergo an abortion.
The demand from the Congress leaders comes at a time when the Congress is under attack by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who are demanding that Rahul resign as Palakkad MLA.
Speaking to the media on Sunday, August 24, senior Congress leaders, including K Muraleedharan, Uma Thomas and Shanimol Usman, said the party would decide about Rahul’s resignation, as the recent audio clips amplified the seriousness of this matter.
“Rahul should resign. He is a people’s representative; people chose him as MLA, so he has the moral responsibility. If he has anything to clarify, he should not be quiet. If the allegations are not true, he should have filed a defamation case. So, we need to assume that the allegations are true,” Uma Thomas, the Thrikkakara MLA, told the media.
Muraleedharan stated that the recent voice clips have amplified the seriousness of this matter. “The party is taking this issue very seriously. The party will decide on the next steps regarding this matter,” Muraleedharan added.
KK Rama of the Revolutionary Marxist Party of India and aligned with the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), also asked for Rahul’s resignation and said, “I expect the Congress party should decide whether they need to allow Rahul to continue as MLA or not. Such individuals do not deserve to stay in a position like this.”
Congress leader Shanimol Usman said, “Rahul should withdraw from mainstream politics.” She also said she was proud that the Congress acted quickly and removed Rahul from the official posts in the Congress party. “I also wish and expect the Indian National Congress will stand with women in this matter,” she said. Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has reportedly come out strongly against Rahul and demanded his immediate resignation.
The Leader of the Opposition, VD Satheesan, has also reportedly sought Rahul’s resignation.
A former journalist and actor, Rini Ann George, raised serious allegations of sexual misconduct against a ‘young politician’ on August 20. She alleged that the person sent her obscene texts and invited her to a five-star hotel.
Later, the media aired screenshots of chat conversations and voice clips allegedly sent by Rahul to multiple women, and one of them included Rahul allegedly asking a woman to get an abortion.