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Kerala / The New Indian Express

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Rahul stays away from campaign; leaders keep mum

PALAKKAD: As in the past one week, on Thursday evening, Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil was all set to hit his unofficial election campaign trail once again this time for his party candidates contesting in Kannadi grama panchayat. His loyal entourage had prepared the route, UDF local leaders and supporters had gathered, and the door-to-door march was minutes away from starting. But at 4.30pm, everything collapsed in an instant. News broke that a woman had directly submitted a sexual harassment and misconduct complaint against Mamkootathil to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at the Secretariat. The announcement spread like wildfire in Palakkad and the MLAs entire plan for the evening crashed on the spot. He cancelled the campaign without a word, went completely incommunicado, and within minutes his MLA office was shut tight, signalling a full-blown political crisis. His MLA office was immediately shut, phones went unanswered, and the once-all-visible legislator suddenly became unreachable. A close aide offered just a one-liner: The MLA is in Palakkad. No decisions yet. Moments later, Mamkootathil attempted damage control through a Facebook post, insisting he had done no wrong and vowing to prove innocence before the court of law and the court of the people. No more escape routes The political fireworks intensified as BJP leaders moved rapidly to corner the Congress. Prasanth Sivan, BJP Palakkad district president (east), who has led persistent protests against Mamkootathil, declared that the last remaining excuse used to shield the MLA had collapsed beyond repair. For months, the ruling and opposition fronts hid behind one scripted dialogue - no complaint, so no action. Today that shield is gone, he wrote, accusing the Left and the Congress of jointly denying justice to the survivor. Sivan added that only the BJP had consistently challenged the silence and stood against the injustice everyone else tried to bury. Leadership in disarray The Congress local leadership already rattled by AICC general secretary K C Venugopals recent firm reminder that Mamkootathil remains suspended, and that the questions about the Congress MLAs campaign activities for the UDF should be directed to local leaders in Palakkad was thrown into further disarray. While Mamkootathil had been freely campaigning despite his suspension, district leaders now rushed into full defensive mode, refusing to answer questions and insisting the state leadership will respond. With the local body poll campaign set to reach its peak next week and the UDF desperately trying to wrest control of the Palakkad municipality from the BJP the latest controversy surrounding the Palakkad MLA has plunged the front into a full-blown crisis.

28 Nov 2025 8:19 am