Rahul Mamkootathil attended the Assembly session after weeks in seclusion following sexual misconduct allegations.
He quietly took his seat with no visible reaction from other MLAs; Opposition Leader reportedly opposed his attendance.
Though suspended by Congress and resigned from Youth Congress post, he remains a sitting MLA without legal disqualification.
Suspended Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil made his first public appearance in weeks as he attended the Kerala Assembly session on Monday, following multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and subsequent party action.
According to PTI, the Palakkad legislator, who had remained out of the public eye since August, walked into the Assembly a few minutes after the session began. He quietly took his seat on the backbench of the opposition bloc, accompanied by Youth Congress district president Nemom Shajeer and a few close associates.
Mamkootathil’s appearance came amid speculation over whether he would attend the session, particularly after Opposition Leader V D Satheesan reportedly objected to his participation. However, there was no visible reaction from other members when he entered, even as the House was engaged in paying tributes to former Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan and two other deceased leaders.
The MLA had been staying at his family home in Adoor, keeping away from political activity after Malayalam actress Rini Ann George publicly accused a “young leader” of a major political party of inappropriate behaviour — an allegation widely believed to be directed at him. The accusation led to protests by both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of the ruling CPI(M).
Following the initial complaint, additional allegations surfaced from other women and a transgender person. In response, the Congress party suspended Mamkootathil in August. He also stepped down from his position as the Youth Congress state president shortly thereafter.
Despite his suspension, as cited by PTI, Mamkootathil continues to hold his Assembly seat, as he has not been legally disqualified. His return is being watched closely within political circles, as it comes at a time when both the party and the legislature are under public scrutiny over their handling of misconduct allegations.
No official statement has been issued by Mamkootathil or the Congress party regarding his attendance at Monday's session.
