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Just nine months ago, Rahul Mamkootathil was being hailed as the rising star of the Congress in Kerala. His thumping victory in the Palakkad Assembly by election in November 2024, in which he defeated Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) C Krishnakumar and Communist Party of India (Marxist) backed P Sarin by a record margin of 18,724 votes, was seen as proof of his growing clout and the United Democratic Front’s (UDF) renewed strength in the state. Today, the 36-year-old legislator is embroiled in a controversy that could potentially alter his political career and life.
Allegations against Rahul surfaced when women, including actor Rini Ann George and writer Honey Bhaskaran, accused him of sending offensive messages, while a leaked audio clip and alleged chats further fuelled the storm. According to sources, Congress high command had asked him to step down from all party posts, including as Kerala Youth Congress president. However, he denied any pressure to step down and said he was resigning of his own will from his post as youth Congress president.
Born on November 12, 1989, in Adoor of Pathanamthitta district, Rahul comes from a family with political links—his paternal great-uncle is senior Congress leader Thennala Balakrishna Pillai. His father, S Rajendra Kurup, served in the Indian Army. Rahul studied at schools in Adoor and Pandalam, completed a BA in History at Catholicate College, Pathanamthitta, and later earned Masters in English Literature and History. He is currently pursuing a PhD.
Within the Congress, Rahul steadily rose through the ranks, first as the Kerala Students’ Union (KSU) constituency president, then as Pathanamthitta district chief, university counsellor, state general secretary, and national secretary of National Students' Union of India (NSUI). He became a state committee member of KSU, later serving as general secretary in 2013. In 2023, he succeeded Shafi Parambil as president of the Kerala Youth Congress, earning him the tag of the “untold Shafi-successor”.
His political breakthrough came with the 2024 Palakkad bypoll, where he stepped into the shoes of Shafi Parambil, who had vacated the seat after moving to Parliament. Rahul’s sweeping victory, achieved with strong backing from secular and minority communities, positioned him as one of the party’s brightest young faces.
But his rapid rise has now been overshadowed by controversy. Allegations began with Rini Ann George’s statement that “a young Kerala politician” had harassed her over messages and hotel invitations. BJP alleged that Rahul was the person involved. Writer Honey Bhaskaran later named him directly, accusing him of sending obscene texts and spreading rumours. A Malayalam TV channel released an audio clip purportedly of Rahul discussing the paternity of a child, which he dismissed as doctored. Further, screenshots of alleged sexually coloured chats linked to him have surfaced.
The uproar has prompted criticism within the Congress. Youth Congress leaders like RV Sneha and Vishnu Sunil Panthalam demanded his resignation, while others asked him to publicly clarify his position. For the Congress, already locked in a three-way contest with the CPI(M)-led LDF and BJP-led NDA in Kerala, the controversy has landed at a critical time, less than a year before the state assembly elections.