THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In what may prove costly for the Congress in the run-up to the elections, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has admitted that the party acted against Rahul Mamkootathil after the then KPCC president and the Leader of Opposition received multiple complaints against the Palakkad MLA. This is the first time that a senior party leader has publicly said so.
The open confirmation by Chennithala counters the party leadership’s public claims that it had not received any harassment-related complaints against the young leader.
“The Leader of Opposition, the then KPCC president and party leaders received several complaints (against Rahul Mamkootathil). It was then that the party unanimously took such a decision,” he said, while addressing reporters in Kozhikode on Saturday.
He was responding to questions on whether the party had taken disciplinary action against Rahul based on strong conviction or in the light of the allegations. He further said it was an individual issue. “Law will take its own course. What can we do,” he asked.
The leadership had earlier maintained that Rahul’s removal as Youth Congress state president and his suspension from the primary membership of Congress were solely based on the allegations that emerged later.
State Cong prez’s claim contradicted
Several Congress leaders had told TNIE months ago that around 18 complaints, both written and through email, had reached Indira Bhavan, the party state headquarters. However, back then, KPCC president Sunny Joseph had dismissed the same.
Now, the Congress admitting that it had received complaints against Rahul, but chose not to reveal the same, could invite more legal-political backlash. With local body elections fast approaching, both the LDF and the BJP are likely to target the UDF for covering up such serious complaints against the MLA.