Amid speculations, Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkoottathil attends assembly session

On Monday, Rahul arrived at the House about 9.15 am during the obit reference for former Chief Minister and Communist veteran VS Achuthanandan and two other former members of the House.

Rahul Mamkoottathil. File Photo | Express

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ignored and isolated, Rahul Mamkootathil’s independent course in the legislative assembly began on Monday. Putting an end to speculations, the young MLA arrived in the House in a friend’s car 20 minutes after the session started.

Youth Congress district president Nemom Sajeer accompanied him. Clad in a blue shirt and mundu, Rahul lacked the usual vigour. At the time of his entry, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was addressing the house as part of the obit reference to former members. After climbing the steps inside the hall, Rahul halted briefly, and glanced around, before finding his new seat.

Following Rahul’s suspension from the Congress Legislature Party and a letter from Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan, the Speaker had shifted his seat to the fifth row, behind the seats of IUML legislators. Congress legislators did not bother to greet or acknowledge his presence. Some IUML members, however, did not show animosity. U A Latheef went to him and chatted. As the obit reference was the only agenda for the day, LDF members too did not raise any issue over his presence.

When the obit reference was about to conclude, an office attendant walked towards Rahul and handed him a slip. Soon after, around 10.40am, Rahul left the hall. There were rumours that the message was from senior Congress leaders asking him to leave the House before the session ended. But sources said it was between Rahul and his staffers over his return journey.

HOUSE REMEMBERS VS, OTHER LEADERS

T’Puram: Leaders cutting across party lines paid tributes to former chief minister V S Achuthanandan on the first day of the assembly session on Monday. CM Pinarayi Vijayan said VS worked beyond politics and was involved in the areas of environment, human rights and equality for women.

Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan said VS had an ‘opposition mind’ even while in power. RMP leader K K Rema said VS stood with her in her toughest times. The assembly also paid respects to the late MLA Vazhoor Soman and former Congress legislator P P Thankachan.