The Congress party has suspended Kerala legislator Rahul Mamkootathil from party membership following serious allegations of sexual misconduct and harassment. The decision was announced by Kerala unit chief Sunny Joseph on Monday, marking a significant development in the ongoing controversy surrounding the Palakkad constituency representative.

Mamkootathil, who previously served as Youth Congress president in Kerala before resigning from that position, faces multiple accusations from different women. The controversy began when Malayalam actor Rini Ann George publicly alleged that "a young leader" from a prominent political party had behaved inappropriately with her, though she initially refrained from naming the individual directly.

Opposition parties, including the BJP and CPI(M), subsequently identified Mamkootathil as the leader referenced in the actor's allegations. The situation escalated when additional accusations emerged from other women, including disturbing claims from a transgender woman who described receiving inappropriate messages from the political leader.

According to reports, the transgender woman alleged that what began as a normal friendship deteriorated into what she termed a "disgusting experience" due to the nature of communications she received. The accusations include explicit threats of sexual violence, with the complainant stating that Mamkootathil expressed desires to commit rape and suggested meeting in other cities.

Writer Honey Bhaskaran has also come forward with similar allegations, claiming that the Congress leader initiated inappropriate conversations through her Instagram direct messages, specifically discussing her travel to Sri Lanka.

Kerala Congress chief Sunny Joseph emphasized the party's serious approach to these allegations, stating that despite no formal legal case being registered, the party reached a unanimous decision to suspend Mamkootathil. This suspension effectively removes him from the Congress Legislator Party, stripping him of his party-related privileges and positions.

Mamkootathil, also known as Rahul BR, built his political career through the Kerala Student Union (KSU), progressing through various leadership roles including KSU Adoor president and state general secretary before advancing to senior positions within the Youth Congress organization. His suspension represents a dramatic fall from grace for the once-rising political figure in Kerala's Congress hierarchy.