Consensus in party: No need for Rahul to resign as MLA

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Although Rahul Mamkoottathil had to resign from his post of Youth Congress state president following sexual harassment allegations, the Congress party has decided that there is no need for him to resign from his MLA post for the time being.

While Rahul stepped down from the Youth Congress post as a moral gesture​​​​​, the leadership believes that if he gives up his MLA position, it could weaken the party politically. The KPCC leadership is also considering appointing a special committee to investigate the allegations against him and verify the facts.

On Friday, another woman came forward with similar sexual harassment allegations against Rahul. The issue sparked heated debates in the Youth Congress WhatsApp group, prompting the admin to make the group read-only. Rahul was also excluded from public events in Palakkad amid the controversy.

A section within the Congress reportedly started a secret campaign against opposition leader V.D. Satheesan and Shafi Parambil MP, accusing them of protecting Rahul. Although old rivalries and personal disagreements are not openly visible, they are reflected in this conflict. The struggle over the Youth Congress president post is also ongoing. The Congress high command is angered by the unexpected crisis that has emerged at a time when the state is showing signs of a possible change in government and giving the UDF a chance.

The party maintains that Rahul does not need to resign as MLA since no formal case has been registered against him. They justify this by citing CPM MLA Mukesh, who was granted bail after facing sexual harassment charges, and noting that during the previous LDF government, Minister A.K. Saseendran resigned from his ministerial post over similar allegations but retained his MLA position.

Some members have accused opposition leader V.D. Satheesan and Shafi Parambil MP of protecting Rahul Mamkootathil despite knowing about the allegations against him. Satheesan, however, said yesterday that he was unaware and had not received any complaint, while Shafi has not responded to the matter.