In a decisive move, the Congress party in Kerala has expelled its legislator, Rahul Mamkootathil, who is currently facing two separate sexual assault cases. The action, announced on Thursday, has ignited a fierce political debate, with senior Congress leaders accusing the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) of attempting to exploit the situation for electoral gain.
Satheesan Alleges CPM's Political Game Plan
Addressing the media, Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan claimed that the CPM did not anticipate the Congress taking such stringent action against its own MLA. He alleged that the ruling party's strategy was to keep the controversy surrounding Mamkootathil alive until the upcoming elections. The objective, according to Satheesan, was to divert public attention from the Sabarimala gold smuggling scandal, which has generated significant public anger against the state government.
Satheesan made a serious accusation, stating that the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) had prior knowledge that a complaint would be filed against the Palakkad MLA. He asserted that if the CMO and the police were genuinely interested in arresting Mamkootathil, they could have done so easily. Their only aim, he reiterated, was to prolong the issue for political mileage.
Congress Defends Its Swift Action
The Opposition leader detailed the internal party process, revealing that the Congress had unanimously decided to suspend Mamkootathil even before formally receiving the first complaint. When a second complaint reached Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief K Sudhakaran, all party leaders agreed that expulsion was the necessary step. Satheesan expressed pride in his party's conduct, highlighting that it handed over the complaint to the police without attempting to shield the accused. He contrasted this with numerous complaints allegedly pending at the AKG Centre (CPM headquarters) and the CMO.
When questioned about whether the MLA should resign from his legislative post, Satheesan stated it was a personal decision. He emphasized that no other political party in the country had expelled a sitting MLA in a similar circumstance and criticized sections of the media for downplaying the Congress's decision on technicalities. He challenged reporters, asking why no one questioned the CPM when an accused in a rape case continued as an MLA, and why this query was never posed to the Chief Minister.
Senior Leaders Laud Party's Stance
Senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan welcomed both his party's decision and the court order rejecting Mamkootathil's bail plea. He stated these steps would strengthen morality and probity in public life. He launched a sharp rebuke against the CPM for failing to act against its own leaders who are jailed in connection with the Sabarimala gold scam. "Such a party need not advise Congress on probity in public life," he remarked, also criticizing the police for not arresting the absconding MLA.
Muraleedharan was unequivocal in his personal stance, saying, "I won't ask Mamkootathil to step down on moral grounds because his actions are anything but morally upright. Now that he has been ousted, no one in the party should defend him." He underscored that the Congress acted immediately by suspending Mamkootathil from the party and the parliamentary party as soon as the first case emerged, also removing him from the post of Youth Congress state president.
Echoing this sentiment, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, speaking in Kannur, said his party took exemplary action that would uphold its reputation and public trust. "When an allegation surfaced, he was immediately suspended. In similar cases, other parties tried to protect their leaders," Venugopal noted.
Parambil Clarifies Stance on Friendship
Meanwhile, Vadakara MP Shafi Parambil, who had previously expressed support for Mamkootathil, clarified his position following the expulsion. He stated that his support was purely political and that their friendship originated within the party framework. Parambil said he fully backed the party's final decision to expel the MLA.
"He didn't enter politics because of our friendship. We met through the party and it is our duty to support young leaders so leadership continues. Beyond that, I don't examine people's personal lives. We support their politics and organizational work," Parambil explained to reporters.
When asked about claims from Samskara Sahithi general secretary M A Shahanas that she had warned him against appointing Mamkootathil as Youth Congress president due to inappropriate messages, Parambil denied receiving any clear complaint suggesting criminal or offensive behaviour. In a related development, Shahanas claimed she was temporarily removed from her organization's Kozhikode WhatsApp group after posting her views on Facebook about the case against the MLA.
The expulsion of Rahul Mamkootathil has set a new precedent in Kerala's political arena, with the Congress seeking to position itself as a party with zero tolerance for misconduct, while simultaneously launching a counter-offensive against the ruling front over corruption allegations.
