Following her strong criticism against the state leadership, including Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan and MP Hibi Eden, for being impediments to her assuming posts in the Congress party, the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) expelled senior leader Simmy Rosebell John from its primary membership on Sunday, September 1.
Simmy's expulsion was officially attributed to her remarks that were deemed disparaging towards the women leaders in the party. A prominent figure in Congress for decades, John began her political career in 1984 with the Kerala Students Union, later serving as a member of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) from 2001 to 2013.
She also held the position of secretary of the All India Mahila Congress from 2006 to 2008 and was a member of the Kerala Public Service Commission from 2013 to 2019.
Simmy has alleged that senior women party workers, despite their experience, are struggling to secure influential positions within the party. She claimed that certain leaders, particularly VD Satheesan and Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden, have played a role in her exclusion from key roles. According to John, the Congress party has consistently refused to offer her any post within the KPCC, despite her expressed interest.
Simmy further alleged that her exclusion from the Mahila Congress was due to a directive from Satheesan, which purportedly favoured younger workers over senior members. She criticised the party for setting criteria that she believes unfairly sidelined experienced leaders, causing several senior women to leave the party in frustration. Despite this, John has vowed to remain in the party and continue her work.
The response from Satheesan and Eden has been minimal. Eden declined to comment on the allegations, deeming them "not worth" his response, The News Minute reported.
Simmy's complaints also extend to a broader pattern of exclusion within the party, where she claimed that many seasoned women leaders have been sidelined. Notable figures who have left the Congress include former MLA Rosakutty Teacher, former KPCC General Secretary Sobhana George, Padmaja Venugopal, and others.
Simmy pointed out that only two from this group, Rosakutty Teacher and Sobhana George, managed to secure positions in the state Assembly, while the rest faced neglect.