Congress suspends Kerala MLA Rahul Mamkootathil from primary membership amid misconduct charges

The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has suspended Congress legislator Rahul Mamkootathil from the party’s primary membership following accusations of inappropriate sexual behaviour towards women. 

Senior Congress leader and former KPCC president K. Muraleedharan confirmed the disciplinary action while speaking to reporters in Thrissur on Monday (August 25, 2025).

However, the KPCC was yet to issue an official communique confirming the temporary debarment from the party. KPCC president Sunny Joseph, MLA, has called a press conference in Kannur at noon.

Mr. Muraleedharan said the onus was now on Mr. Mamkootathil to decide whether he should continue as Congress’ elected lawmaker from the Palakkad Assembly constituency. 

He said suspension has deprived Mr. Mamkootathil of KPCC’s political protection. However, the suspension was the second phase in the continuing disciplinary process against Mr. Mamkootathil. “The KPCC will consider more stringent action, including seeking Mr. Mamkootathil’s resignation as MLA, if more complaints of sexual misconduct surface against him”, he added. 

Mr. Muraleedharan said KPCC would offer Mr. Mamkootathil a right of reply as part of its internal enquiry process. The party would also attempt to verify the veracity of the sexual misconduct charges against the MLA.

 “Nevertheless, the door is open for Mr. Mamkootathil to quit as legislator on his own volition. The Congress does not fear a byelection at the fag end of the Pinarayi Vijayan government. In Palakkad Assembly constituency, the fight is primarily between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP),” he added.

Mr. Muraleedharan said Mr. Mamkootathil has lost his parliamentary privileges as a member of the Congress’ Legislative Party (CLP) in the State Assembly. “Mr. Mamkootathil stands disinvited from attending CLP meetings and is no longer a part of the United Democratic Front (UDF)”, he added. 

Mr. Muraleedharan condemned the cyberattacks against Uma Thomas, MLA, for demanding Mr. Mamkootathil’s resignation. “Ms. Thomas had spoken for Kerala women when she asked Mr. Mamkootathil to quit as MLA”, he added. 

LDF response

Meanwhile, Left Democratic Front (LDF) convenor T.P. Ramakrishnan, MLA, said Mr. Mamkootathil’s resignation as MLA was “inevitable”, and the ruling front “did not fear” a byelection on the cusp of the Assembly election in early 2026. 

He said Mr. Mamkootathil’s resignation as State Youth Congress president without challenging the sexual charges against him either in a court of law or publicly was an admission of guilt. Nevertheless, he showed no contrition after the serious charges surfaced in the public domain and remained arrogantly defiant. The LDF would continue to agitate for his resignation.

Excise Minister M.B. Rajesh accused the KPCC of striking a detente with Mr. Mamkootathil by merely suspending the MLA from the party’s primary membership. 

“The Congress tempered its action against Mr. Mamkootathil as part of a compromise. However, the KPCC has no guilt that it’s saddling Palakkad’s electorate with a discredited legislator. People who promoted Mr. Mamkootathil in the Congress fear something. The KPCC and the UDF cannot shrug off the political liability of having backed Mr. Mamkootathil by taking a token action”, he said.

Mr. Rajesh also condemned the cyberattacks against Ms. Thomas for “striking an ethical stance” demanding Mr. Mamkootathil’s resignation.