Congress Tries Face-saver: Suspends Palakkad MLA From Primary Membership

The Congress party in Kerala, under pressure after a string of allegations of sexual misconduct against MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, has suspended him from the party’s primary membership for six months. The move, however, has not quelled dissent, with political rivals and a section in the party insisting that he should be made to resign.

Earlier, several women leaders had demanded that Mamkootathil step down and face legal proceedings. But party insiders told Outlook that the leadership settled on suspension instead, fearing that a byelection on his seat, Palakkad, could help the BJP, especially before early next year's Assembly election.

In the last few days, several women have come out openly against the MLA, alleging sexual misconduct.

Rahul Mamkootathil entered the Assembly after winning the Palakkad seat in a by-election that followed Shafi Parambil’s election to Parliament in 2024. Both leaders had secured victories in Palakkad despite stiff challenges from the BJP. Notably, Palakkad remains the only constituency in Kerala where the BJP has consistently finished second. Against this backdrop, party strategists feared that forcing Mamkootathil’s resignation—particularly over allegations of sexual misconduct—would almost amount to gifting the seat to the BJP in a by-election, with the general elections scheduled for May 2026.

However, this political exigency argument advanced by the Congress leadership has failed to pacify at least some of the women leaders within the party, are not fully convinced about the party’s decision.

Leaders such as Uma Thomas, MLA, and Shanimol Usman had earlier called on him to step down and withdraw from public life until his name is cleared. While they have so far refrained from openly criticising the leadership’s ‘strategic’ decision to suspend rather than oust him, the sense of disagreement within the ranks is unmistakable.

KPCC president Sunny Joseph, while announcing Rahul Mamkootathil’s suspension, defended the decision by citing precedents in Kerala politics. He pointed out that even in cases where charge sheets had been filed in sexual assault cases, legislators had not resigned from their posts. Joseph also noted that neither the police nor the party had so far received any formal complaint against Mamkootathil. Yet, he said, the Congress chose to suspend him to uphold the party’s moral stance, as multiple women had levelled allegations against him.

Opposition leader V.D. Satheeshan said that no party in Kerala has taken such a moral stand when allegations were raised against one of its MLAs.

But senior leader K. Muraleedharan added that, with the suspension in place, it is now up to Mamkootathil to decide whether to retain his MLA post or step down. He also indicated that the suspension may not be the final action, suggesting that stricter measures could follow in the coming days.

While the party leadership has cited procedural and technical reasons, the underlying motive for opting for a “face-saving” suspension rather than seeking Mamkootathil’s resignation appears to be the fear of a by-election in Palakkad, which could strengthen the BJP ahead of the 2026 general elections.

The Congress also received legal advice indicating that the Election Commission could order a byelection even though the current Assembly term ends in May next year. In such a scenario, it would not be politically prudent for the party to force Rahul Mankootathil’s resignation. “The Congress party’s decision must be understood in the context of the state’s political situation. A by-election in Palakkad ahead of the general election would undoubtedly benefit the BJP, giving a morale boost to a party striving to make inroads in Kerala. Setting aside the question of high moral standards, suspending the MLA from the party makes political sense,” said political observer Sunnykutty Abraham.

Rahul Mankootathil won the Palakkad seat in the 2024 by-election by a margin of 18,840 votes, while his predecessor, Shafi Parambil, had clinched the seat in 2021 with a narrower margin of just 3,859 votes.  The BJP emerged second in both these elections.

“The allegations will take the sheen out of the UDF campaign against the LDF in the coming days,” observed columnist and senior journalist P.T. Nasar. “Had the party asked him to resign from the Assembly, it could have helped the Congress occupy the moral high ground. Rahul Mankootathil’s continued presence in the Assembly is likely to place the Congress in an increasingly embarrassing position.” he adds.

The political opponents has stepped up its attack on the Congress after the decision not to press for Rahul Mankootathil’s resignation as MLA. “If the Congress finds Rahul unfit to remain in its legislative party, what is the logic in allowing him to continue as an MLA?” asked M.B. Rajesh, CPI(M) state committee member and minister.

For the Congress leadership, the immediate challenge is to contain dissent within the party and among the sympathisers over its decision. The calculation appears to be that the broader political fallout can be managed by shifting focus to the sexual assault cases and related charges faced by CPI(M).