Thiruvananthapuram: Amid mounting stress from the LDF and the BJP and even from a bit of leaders throughout the celebration, the Congress on Monday suspended Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil from its major membership for six months after going through a number of allegations of sexual misconduct.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief Sunny Joseph introduced the suspension and asserted there was no precedent of a pacesetter resigning from an MLA submit, although many leaders in different events confronted severe allegations.

The Congress legislator had already stepped down from the submit of State Youth Congress president after a number of allegations of sexual misconduct in opposition to him. A primary-time MLA, Mamkootathil was elected from Palakkad in November 2024 in a bypoll after the seat fell vacant when incumbent MLA Shafi Parambil was elected to the Lok Sabha from Vadakara.

The celebration will quickly resolve, through the parliamentary celebration assembly, whether or not the suspended MLA will probably be seated together with different UDF legislators within the subsequent Meeting session, a senior Congress chief advised ThePrint.

“We’re additionally probing the matter internally, together with the authenticity of the audio clips. Primarily based on that, a call concerning his future within the celebration will probably be taken and he must comply,” the chief stated.

A number of individuals, together with a transwoman, have accused the Palakkad MLA of sexual misconduct. Although the celebration maintains that there are not any official complaints, audio of alleged interactions surfaced on social media, together with one by which Mamkootathil reportedly pressured a girl to endure an abortion.

The Left Democratic Entrance (LDF) and the Bharatiya Janata Get together (BJP) took up the matter nationally to demand the resignation of the Palakkad MLA. A number of Congress leaders, together with Thrikkakara MLA Uma Thomas, too, overtly demanded his resignation.

Senior Congress chief Ok. Muraleedharan stated the choice to droop was taken because the celebration understood the seriousness of the matter. He added that Mamkootathil will now not benefit from the safety {that a} celebration member often receives.

“This shouldn’t be thought of the ultimate step. Relying on additional responses and complaints, the celebration will naturally transfer to a 3rd stage of motion,” Muraleedharan stated.

The Congress maintained that the BJP and the LDF haven’t any ethical grounds to criticise the Congress on the matter, as no political celebration has taken such a robust step in opposition to an accused consultant earlier than.

“He (Mamkootathil) was made a candidate by the Congress and by the UDF. If each say that they don’t wish to be with him anymore, then Mamkootathil should resolve whether or not to carry on or step down,” Muraleedharan stated.

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A check earlier than the polls

Notably, the controversy comes at a time when Kerala is headed for the essential native physique elections and meeting polls inside a 12 months. The native physique polls are anticipated earlier than the year-end and the Meeting elections earlier than subsequent Could.

His resignation will even result in one other bypoll simply forward of the meeting elections, when the Congress is making ready to capitalise on anti-incumbency sentiment in opposition to the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF authorities, which has been in energy since 2016.

A bypoll in Palakkad would additionally give Congress’s opponents, particularly the BJP, which has robust equipment within the constituency, an opportunity to win. Since 2021, Kerala has held 5 bypolls, of which 4 had been gained by the UDF, together with the newest Nilambur bypoll in June.

“We have now no concern of by-polls. In Palakkad, the competition is between the UDF and the BJP. So, we don’t concern defeat. However the difficulty right here will not be a by-election. When there are severe allegations in opposition to an MLA, the celebration can’t merely ignore them. That’s the reason motion has been taken,” Muraleedharan stated,

State-based political analyst Joseph C. Mathew stated the controversy erupted simply because the Congress had a bonus as a result of anti-incumbency sentiment and altering perceptions of the celebration’s nationwide management, boosted by the Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar.

“I don’t assume the difficulty may have a lot affect after some time. I don’t count on authorized penalties both. However the controversy gave opponents an argument in opposition to the Congress when it had the higher hand within the upcoming polls,” he stated, including that Mamkootathil’s resignation would have been a more sensible choice for the celebration to cease assaults from each the CPI(M) and the BJP.

“But when the BJP wins the Palakkad bypoll, the Left will marketing campaign as if the Congress helped the BJP to realize a seat within the Meeting, which can put the Congress on its again foot,” he defined.

(Edited by Tony Rai)

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