The Congress leadership in Kerala has suspended Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil from the party’s primary membership following sexual misconduct allegations against him.
While there were demands for him to resign as MLA, the party decided against it to avoid a possible bypoll in Palakkad.
Mamkootathil had earlier stepped down as state Youth Congress president. With his suspension, he ceases to be part of the Congress parliamentary party and will not be allowed to sit with UDF members in the upcoming Assembly session scheduled for September.
Reports also suggest that the leadership has instructed him to stay away from contesting the next Assembly election.
Although senior leaders had pushed for his resignation, the party feared an electoral setback if a bypoll were held at this stage.
Since a state Assembly bypoll is already expected in April or May next year, the leadership chose to delay such risks and instead proceeded with internal disciplinary action against him.