Congress stands by Rahul Mamkootathil, rejects calls for resignation

Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress party has thrown its weight behind first-time MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, dismissing demands from the CPI(M) and BJP that he resign from the Assembly over allegations of misconduct.

Protests were staged by workers of both parties in several parts of Kerala, urging the young legislator to step down. Mamkootathil had earlier resigned as president of the Youth Congress on what he described as “moral grounds” but has ruled out quitting as an MLA.

Elected from Palakkad in a by-election last November, Mamkootathil quickly emerged as a forthright leader, drawing the ire of both the CPI(M) and the BJP. His detractors have seized on the controversy to call for his removal, but Congress leaders insist the matter ended with his Youth Congress resignation.

AICC general secretary in charge of Kerala, Deepadas Munshi, said, “There has been no complaint received by the party or anywhere else. Rahul Mamkootathil resigned on moral grounds even when there was not a single complaint against him. For the Congress, morality comes first. I urge other parties to adopt the same standard.”

Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan also criticized the CPI(M), pointing to past cases involving leaders of rival parties. “Complaints have surfaced against CPI(M) and BJP leaders in the past. Did they ever take the kind of action that the Congress has taken? The Congress is different. We lead by example,” he said.

Vadakara MP Shafi Parambil, a close aide of Mamkootathil, accused sections of the media of “spreading baseless news” that he had gone into hiding. “I was in Bihar attending a yatra. Everyone knew it. Why should I run away?” he said, adding that the CPI(M) was targeting Mamkootathil to deflect attention from governance failures.

Parambil also pointed to serious allegations against leaders linked to the Left. “One CPI(M) MLA continues despite facing a rape charge sheet. Cases have also been raised against individuals close to the Chief Minister’s Office. Did the CPI(M) ask them to resign? The Congress has always taken the right step,” he argued.

While Mamkootathil has made it clear he will not give up his Assembly seat, the controversy is set to intensify, with both the CPI(M) and BJP signaling they will continue to press the issue.