Rahul Mamkootathil row sends tremors through Kerala's Congress party. Will leadership take bold steps to steady the ship?
The internal bickering in Kerala’s Congress party, triggered by the resignation of MLA Rahul Mamkootathil from the post of Youth Congress state president, continues unabated. On one hand, there is no consensus on who should succeed him as Youth Congress president, while on the other, the party remains divided on whether he should also be asked to step down as MLA, given the gravity of the misconduct allegations. Though no police complaint has yet been filed against the young legislator, he faces accusations of sending obscene and sexually suggestive messages, harassment, and pressuring a woman to undergo an abortion.
One section of the Youth Congress argues that vice president Abin Varkey—who came second to Rahul in the Youth Congress presidential election—should naturally take over. Varkey also enjoys the strong backing of senior leaders such as Ramesh Chennithala. However, Youth Congress election guidelines do not stipulate that the runner-up automatically becomes president if the incumbent resigns.
Another name being put forward, especially by those aligned with K.C. Venugopal, is that of Binu Chulliyil, recently appointed as national secretary. Meanwhile, the A group has proposed J.S. Akhil, K.M. Abhijith, and Jinshad Jinnas as contenders. Abhijith, a former KSU state president, has so far not been accommodated in leadership positions in Youth Congress, sparking tensions earlier this month when national office-bearers from Kerala were announced and his name was left out.
Allegations soon followed that Mamkootathil and his mentor, Shafi Parambil, had a role in sidelining him. Notably, four MPs have now moved to recommend Abhijith for the Youth Congress state president’s post.
If the party decides that the Youth Congress should be led by a woman, vice president Aritha Babu may be considered. Akhil, Binu, and Abhijith are not members of the current state committee, and Varkey and his supporters have already expressed strong resistance to appointing anyone who has not come through the electoral process. The AICC leadership has so far refrained from issuing any directive on the matter.
Notably, the remarks by Opposition Leader V.D. Satheeshan—who had long backed the “Youth Brigade” and leaders such as Shafi Parambil and Rahul Mamkootathil— on Saturday suggest that pressure is mounting within the state leadership to also consider asking Rahul to step down as MLA.
"We will seriously examine the complaint against Rahul Mamkootathil and take uncompromising action. As the first step, he resigned from the Youth Congress president’s post within 24 hours, even though no formal complaint had been received. As per procedure, the party will investigate the matter. Those making a hue and cry now would do well to introspect on what they themselves have done in similar situations,” Satheeshan said.
He further added that those marching to his residence alleging he shielded Mamkootathil should instead head to Cliff House, the chief minister’s official residence. “It is the chief minister who has protected the highest number of accused persons. I have not protected anyone. I have already made it clear that strict action will be taken without compromise,” he said.
Interestingly, Shafi Parambil—who had refrained from publicly responding to the controversy for several days despite mounting allegations and demands for clarification—broke his silence today. He echoed Rahul’s claim that there was no direct complaint against him and stressed that Rahul had already stepped down as Youth Congress president. Shafi rejected accusations of evasion and countered that those criticising him should first look within their own parties.
Party sources note that, in the current setup, both the Youth Congress and KSU were firmly under Shafi’s grip, and Rahul’s exit is seen as a major setback for him as well. Others point out that although Satheeshan had once openly backed leaders like Shafi and Rahul, their political relationship has soured in recent months, particularly after the Nilambur by-election.
Incidentally, some within the Congress—including some senior leaders—are privately expressing satisfaction over Mamkootathil’s downfall and the weakening of Shafi Parambil. At multiple recent district-level Youth Congress meetings, members criticised Rahul’s “autocratic and undemocratic” style, accusing him of abandoning organisational duties after becoming an MLA and of stifling dissent within the party.
The issue also flared up publicly at the Manorama News Conclave, where KPCC president Sunny Joseph and CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan sparred over the controversy. Joseph insisted that Rahul’s resignation as Youth Congress president was a matter of “moral responsibility,” highlighting that he stepped down even without an FIR being filed. He argued that the decision had boosted Congress’s moral standing and confidence ahead of elections. Govindan, however, countered that the allegations were not baseless and claimed there was clear evidence of wrongdoing. He criticised the Congress for elevating Rahul to the posts of Youth Congress president and MLA despite being aware of the allegations and alleged that Satheeshan himself had long known of the issues but failed to act.
If Mamkootathil is eventually asked to resign as MLA as well, the Congress leadership would be setting a precedent that would place the CPI(M) in a difficult position. The Left party has not asked Kollam MLA M. Mukesh to step down despite a rape case being registered against him. The case was registered in August 2024 following allegations by a female actor that M. Mukesh sexually assaulted her in 2010, promising her membership in the Malayalam actors’ body—AMMA. At the time, Govindan had argued that an MLA should not resign merely because of a registered case, pointing out that numerous legislators across India face similar charges. He insisted that forcing Mukesh to quit before a court verdict would amount to “denial of justice.”
So far, the Congress has justified allowing Mamkootathil to remain as MLA by citing the CPI(M)’s stance in the Mukesh case. But if Rahul is forced to step down, it will likely mark at least a temporary end to his political career. For the state Congress leadership, however, it would be a powerful comeback—claiming the moral high ground, strengthening the authority of Satheeshan and the KPCC president, and giving them greater leverage in resolving the internal tussle over who should succeed Mamkootathil as Youth Congress state president.
India