Kerala: Opposition leader V.D. Satheesan faces the heat as Congress’s young turks Rahul Mamkootathil, Shafi Parambil come under fire

Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil may have resigned as Youth Congress Kerala state president after being called out by multiple women for inappropriate behaviour, but it is a major blow to the Congress in the state, especially to Opposition leader V.D. Satheesan. The allegations against Rahul include forcing a woman to undergo abortion.

While stepping down, Rahul maintained his innocence. At a press conference at his home in Adoor, he said: “I have not committed any act that violates the law or the Constitution. There are no formal complaints against me either. However, I am stepping down from the post of Youth Congress president. I will prove my innocence.” He also dismissed the allegations—including purported audio clips in which he is allegedly heard speaking to a woman about abortion—as fabricated.

Rahul said he was stepping aside so that Congress workers would not be forced to defend him. “Their job is to fight the wrong policies of the state government, not to defend me. I don’t want them to do that. I have the responsibility to prove my innocence, and not them,” he said.

Though he insists it is not the duty of the party or its leadership or its cadres to defend him, the controversy has already become a major setback for the Congress and Satheesan, who had consolidated his position after the party’s win in Nilambur bypoll.

Mamkootathil was a close associate of Satheesan and a rising star in the Youth Congress, having won the Palakkad bypoll in 2024. His resignation from the Youth Congress presidency is seen as a setback for Satheesan’s camp, as he was a prominent and active leader in mobilising youth and spearheading protests against the LDF government.

In the recent bypoll victories secured by the UDF—particularly in Palakkad, where Rahul was the candidate, and Nilambur, where he was a visible face of the campaign—Rahul played a crucial role under Satheesan’s aegis. In Nilambur, Satheesan successfully deployed young leaders like Rahul to inject energy into the campaign, manage local coordination, and build connections with younger voters and diverse communities. This strategy helped boost the UDF’s vote share and morale ahead of the 2026 assembly elections.

With the Nilambur win, coupled with the appointment of a new KPCC president and the emergence of fresh leadership for KPCC, Satheesan had been brimming with confidence—something that a section of senior Congress leaders viewed with unease.

However, the allegations against Rahul have now cast a shadow over Satheesan’s political image as well his political plans. Rini Ann George, journalist-turned-actor who, on August 20, raised charges of misbehaviour by “a Congress leader”—without explicitly naming anyone, including Rahul—shares close personal ties with the Opposition leader. Satheesan today publicly said that he regards Rini as his daughter. This relationship adds a layer of responsibility, suggesting he could have been a natural point of contact for her complaints. Rini Ann George has, in fact, alleged that she informed the Congress leadership about the harassment by a “young leader” well before going public, but no action was taken.

The controversy points to a failure of oversight, as Rahul was elevated to an important organisational position and became a Congress MLA despite whispers of prior misconduct. Today, Satheesan has stressed that the party will conduct a “strong investigation” and take action “no matter how big he is”. But, his reactive stance to uncomfortable questions and his refusal to explain why preventive steps were not taken earlier, contradict the Congress’s professed zero-tolerance policy on women’s issues.

Amid media scrutiny, BJP and CPI(M)-backed DYFI protests demanding Rahul’s resignation amplified the issue, piling pressure on Satheesan to act decisively. While he assured a thorough probe and strict action if the allegations are proven, his words underscored the defensive corner he has been forced into.

The controversy has also dragged in Shafi Parambil, Congress MP from Vadakara and KPCC working president, who is said to have played a key role in elevating Rahul as Youth Congress state president and later as the party’s MLA candidate from Palakkad. Shafi is facing backlash for allegedly shielding Rahul despite knowing the earlier complaints. As a close ally of Satheesan—and seen as a close friend and mentor to Rahul—Shafi’s perceived inaction has portrayed him as complicit in the cover-up. Writer Honey Bhaskaran, who first raised allegations, directly accused Shafi of ignoring repeated pleas from women, claiming “several have lodged complaints with Shafi Parambil”, but he chose to protect Rahul.

Both Shafi and Rahul were deemed central to Satheesan’s grand strategy for the 2026 assembly elections. But, with the new revelations, his plans now face a rough road ahead.

Notably, the allegations against Rahul have also brought into sharp focus the internal fissures within the party, especially in the Youth Congress. In recent months, district-level meetings in Idukki, Kozhikode, and Wayanad witnessed open criticism of his “autocratic and undemocratic” style. Leaders accused him of abandoning organisational responsibilities after becoming an MLA and of silencing dissent. Tensions escalated in early August with the announcement of national office-bearers, when the exclusion of former KSU state president K.M. Abhijith triggered allegations of foul play orchestrated by Rahul and Shafi. Now, with misconduct allegations out in the open, a section of Youth Congress leaders has openly turned against him.

Notably, as the allegations against Rahul surfaced, senior leader Ramesh Chennithala also demanded swift action. Though ostensibly directed at Rahul, many believe Chennithala—long uneasy with Satheesan’s rising clout, especially after the Nilambur bypoll—was indirectly targeting Satheesan, given the factional undercurrents.

A complaint has since been filed, based on leaked audio clips and text messages circulating in the media, alleging that the Rahul coerced a woman into undergoing an abortion. Another petition has reached the Commission for Protection of Child Rights. While Rahul has insisted the party need not shield him, the emergence of incriminating chats is likely to keep not only him but also the leadership—particularly Satheesan—on the edge.