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Kerala Opposition Leader VD Satheesan, on Monday, August 25, described the suspension of Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil as a landmark decision in the state’s politics, underscoring that no other political party in Kerala has shown such determination in acting against one of its own leaders facing allegations of sexual harassment.
“This is the first time a political party has taken a strict and determined decision. We did not even receive a written complaint, and we were not provided with any proof. Still, within 24 hours, Rahul resigned from the post of Youth Congress president. After that, the party considered it seriously and decided to suspend him,” Satheesan said.
He stressed that the Congress’ decision was not motivated by political calculations but by its commitment to upholding women’s dignity.
“Has any political party taken such a decision? A rape case accused continues to be a CPI(M) MLA. A POCSO case accused is in the BJP’s high committee. No action has yet been taken. We could have spotted all this and shown a lame attitude. But we took action because our party respects women...We took action against a very important person in our party. The person was close to us, was in the forefront of the party, but we did not do anything to protect him. The Congress took this decision to uphold women’s dignity. This will be marked in the history of Kerala. Not just one or two, many people remain in CPI(M) with accusations against them,” he added.
Without taking names, Satheesan criticised the CPI(M)’s history of protecting leaders accused of sexual misconduct, even within the Chief Minister’s Office. Political observers see this as an indirect reference to P Sasi, who was expelled from CPI(M) in 2011 following a woman party colleague’s sexual assault complaint. Despite this, he was reinstated seven years later and, in 2022, appointed as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s political secretary — a move that triggered criticism as no formal probe was ever completed.
Another example cited in political circles is that of PK Sasi, then CPI(M) MLA from Shornur, who was suspended by the party in 2018 after a DYFI leader accused him of sexual harassment. Though the party initially acted upon pressure from women leaders, he was reinstated into the Palakkad District Committee just a year later, in 2019.
Satheesan’s sharp remarks thus highlighted the stark difference in approach: while CPI(M) and BJP allegedly shield their accused leaders, the Congress, he argued, took “the boldest possible decision against one of its own.”
The Congress’ decision came after a storm of allegations rose against Rahul Mamkootathil, who won the Palakkad by-election in November 2024. Audio clips, purportedly of Rahul forcing a woman to undergo an abortion, surfaced last week, intensifying the demands for action. Several Congress leaders, including Uma Thomas, K Muraleedharan, and Shama Mohammed, publicly called for his removal, while AICC general secretary KC Venugopal hinted at disciplinary action.
Rahul resigned as Kerala Youth Congress president on August 21 and was suspended from the party on August 25. While he continues as MLA for now, the Opposition Leader’s words signal that the party’s central leadership may tighten its stand further.