On Wednesday night, a group of BJP women activists stopped the vehicle of Congress's Palakkad candidate and actor Ramesh Pisharody while he was campaigning in Vadakkanthara for the upcoming assembly elections. The incident sparked a war of words between workers of the two parties, forcing Pisharody to cut short his campaign.
On Thursday morning, BJP candidate Shobha Surendran defended the party workers, saying the protest was triggered by Pisharody’s remarks on a case involving the alleged sexual abuse of a woman by Congress’s Palakkad Municipality Councillor, Prashobh C. Valsan.
Shobha stated that Pisharody’s reported comment describing harassment incidents as “personal matters” was unacceptable. She further alleged that the UDF candidate appeared to be supportive of the accused, which led women activists to stage the protest. Demanding an apology from the Congress candidate, Shobha also questioned why the accused has not yet been arrested.
The sexual abuse case has put Congress on the defensive days ahead of the elections. Both the BJP and the ruling LDF aggressively taken up the issue, alleging that Prashobh is a close associate of sitting MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, who was expelled from Congress over sexual assault cases.
Mamkootathil, who won the constituency in the 2024 byelection following sitting MLA Shafi Parambil’s election to the Lok Sabha, has been arrested in multiple sexual harassment cases and is currently out on bail.
Palakkad is one of the few seats where the BJP has high hopes. Hindus make up over 60 per cent of the population, while Muslims constitute around 35 per cent. The CPI(M)’s decision to field N.M.R. Razack, a local hotelier, as an independent candidate has fueled rumours of a secret deal between the Left and the BJP, as Congress fears any split in Muslim votes could benefit Shobha.
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Shobha is considered a major crowd-puller for the BJP, and the party believes her influence among women voters could have a significant impact in Palakkad. In the 2024 elections, BJP candidate C. Krishnakumar came second with 29 per cent of the vote.
Although the seat has remained with Congress since 2011, allegations against Mamkootathil and the fresh case against Prashobh have placed the party on the back foot. In the new case, the woman, who belongs to a Scheduled Tribe, alleged that the councillor sexually assaulted her multiple times under the promise of arranging a stable job and later pressured her to terminate the pregnancy.
A case has been registered at Palakkad South Police Station under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Police said Prashobh is currently absconding, and efforts are underway to trace him.
Pisharody, however, hopes that the allegations against Prashobh will not affect Congress’s chances in the polls. “I did not know the accused personally. On seeing his picture in news reports, I recognised him as someone who had been part of my campaign,” he told reporters. “He accompanied us during campaigning. Beyond that, I don’t know anything about him.”
In an attempt at damage control, Congress expelled Prashobh from the party.