Thiruvananthapuram: Pressure is intensifying on Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkoottathil, with the Congress leadership reportedly considering asking him to step down from his Assembly seat following multiple allegations of sexual harassment. Senior leaders Ramesh Chennithala and K Muraleedharan have already demanded his resignation, and several women leaders have now echoed the call.

Thrikkakara MLA Uma Thomas said she was shocked by the allegations and urged Rahul to resign immediately. “If the complaints were false, he should have filed a defamation case. He must take moral responsibility,” she said, welcoming the party’s swift move to remove him from the Youth Congress president’s post.

Congress leaders Shanimol Usman, Bindhu Krishna, and Deepthi Mary Varghese also demanded his exit to safeguard the party’s credibility. Usman said she expected the leadership to take “revolutionary action” in the case. CPM leader PK Sreemathi went further, accusing Rahul of “misusing women” and alleging that many victims were afraid to come forward.

However, speculation remains that the Congress may hesitate to trigger a bypoll in Palakkad, fearing a possible BJP gain. To avoid that risk, the leadership may seek to sideline Rahul from active politics without forcing him to give up his MLA post.