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Rahul Mamkoottathil has stepped down from his position as the Youth Congress state president following a directive from the party leadership after a series of allegations raised by multiple women.
While Rahul, a sitting MLA representing Palakkad, has publicly stated that he resigned on his own volition to prevent his colleagues from having to defend him, party sources said his departure was a result of growing pressure and a desire by the Congress high command to preempt a larger political crisis.
The immediate catalyst for the party's intervention were allegations of inappropriate conduct against him by multiple women. Actor and former journalist Rini Ann George publicly alleged that a young political leader from Kerala had sent her offensive messages and invited her to a hotel room.
Though she did not name Rahul Mamkoottathil, her account, along with one from writer Honey Bhaskar on inappropriate messages, put the spotlight on the Youth Congress leader. Rahul in his defense claimed that Rini Ann George is a friend and did not name him.
On August 21, an audio clip of a conversation, purportedly between him and a woman, where she speaks about pregnancy and abortion also surfaced.
The Congress leadership was already aware of the complaints, with unofficial complaints coming from a senior party leader and a woman member of the Youth Congress. These new allegations, combined with earlier rumors of sexual harassment and abuse prompted the party to act with urgency.
Party leaders in both Kerala and Delhi are upset with Mamkoottathil and have conveyed their displeasure to him.
The leadership concluded that it was a better political strategy for the issue to blow over now rather than closer to the upcoming assembly elections, as they were certain the allegations would prove to be more damaging then. The decision to make him step down was therefore seen as a proactive measure to protect the party’s image and prevent a crisis in the future.