Kerala Youth Congress State President and MLA Rahul Mamkootathil has stepped down from his post following serious harassment allegations made by Malayalam actor Rini Ann George and writer Honey Bhaskaran.
Rini Ann George, a former journalist, alleged that a youth leader from a major political party had repeatedly sent her inappropriate messages and invited her to a hotel. Although she did not name Mamkootathil directly, her claims triggered protests from both the BJP and CPI(M)’s youth wing, DYFI, who demanded his resignation.
Shortly after, writer Honey Bhaskaran publicly named Mamkootathil, accusing him of persistent messaging and misrepresentation of their interactions. She claimed that internal complaints within the Youth Congress had gone unaddressed.
In his resignation statement, Mamkootathil denied any wrongdoing but said he was stepping down to allow the party to focus on the upcoming assembly and panchayat elections. “I respect the time and energy of our workers. They shouldn’t have to justify me,” he stated, emphasising that no party leader had asked him to resign.
Opposition Leader VD Satheesan responded by assuring that the Congress had received a formal complaint and would take appropriate action. “A serious complaint has now been raised, and it will be handled accordingly,” he said, adding that the complainant was “like a daughter” to him.
The incident has sparked widespread debate over internal accountability and the handling of harassment complaints within political organisations.
