PALAKKAD: In a dramatic end to weeks of political turbulence, expelled Congress Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil — who vanished from public view soon after a woman approached the Chief Minister on November 27 with a sexual harassment complaint — surfaced briefly on Thursday evening to cast his vote in the second phase of the local body elections.
Mamkootathil appeared at St. Sebastian’s School in Kunnathurmedu North (ward 24) around 4.50 pm, choosing the near-empty final hour of polling to avoid public glare. He arrived in his official vehicle, ending a 15-day period of hiding that had fuelled intense local speculation and political sparring.
The moment he stepped out, CPM and BJP workers broke into loud jeers, waving pictures of a rooster and a cradle — symbols they have adopted to taunt him since the allegations surfaced. DYFI workers shouted slogans, while Congress workers attempted to counter the hostile scene by welcoming him with bouquets.
Mamkootathil refused to answer any questions from the media on the charges or his disappearance. "The case is before the court. The court will decide. The truth will prevail," he said through his car window, reiterating that he has no intention of fleeing and will remain in Palakkad. "I have nothing more to say," was his response to a series of questions from the media.
He was received at the polling station by local UDF leaders who handed over a bouquet to him. Congress candidate Prashobh M and KSU district leaders too accompanied the MLA, who has been expelled from the party after the controversies.
When repeatedly asked whether he would be staying back in Palakkad, the MLA said: “I will be with the voters all the time.” After casting his vote, Mamkootathil then headed to a café near the Palakkad government medical college along the national highway, before reaching his MLA office by 5.25 pm. At the office too, the MLA was seen tight-lipped when the media persons requested his response to the ongoing controversies.
The Kerala High Court had earlier granted him interim protection from arrest in the first case. On Wednesday, the Sessions Court granted anticipatory bail in the second case, noting that there was “no prima facie material” to establish the alleged offence.
Despite receiving legal relief, his sudden return in the final hour of polling during the second phase of the local body elections — a timing clearly chosen to avoid peak voter presence — ensured that his political troubles remained squarely in the public spotlight.