Congress uses Mamkootathil’s suspension to turn the tables on CPI(M)

Congress spotlighted the suspension of Rahul Mamkootathil, MLA, from the party’s primary membership on Monday to turn the tables on the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which has been clamouring for his resignation as Palakkad legislator, by daring Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to act punitively against those facing comparable allegations of sexual misconduct in the ruling party and the government. 

Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala fired the first salvo against the CPI(M). “Unlike the CPI(M), Congress did not appoint a laughable so-called party commission to gauge the severity of the accusations raised by women, including party members, against several ruling front leaders. The party acted at the first whiff of alleged malfeasance”, he said. Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan dared CPI(M) women activists to take a comparable ethical position against the ruling party’s big names indicted for sexual delinquency.

CPI(M) State secretary M.V. Govindan sought to parry the Congress’s political gambit by announcing “self-respect” meetings (Athma Abhimana Sadas) across Kerala to press for Mr. Mamkootathil’s resignation. He claimed that the impending campaign would amplify Kerala society’s warpath against the “sexual malefactor”. He claimed the campaign had bipartisan political support, including from Congress’s women leaders.

‘Congress afraid’

Mr. Govindan said Congress leadership feared that the sordid scandals revolving around Mr. Mamkootathil would taint other party leaders if the latter spilt the beans. “Congress’ trepidation of Mr. Mamkootathil’s vindictive backlash has forced the party to limit disciplinary action to a token suspension,” he added. 

The CPI(M) also sought to weaponise the “cyber lynching” of Congress leader Uma Thomas, MLA, for demanding Mr. Mamkootathil’s resignation.

Left Democratic Front (LDF) convener T.P. Ramakrishnan, Higher Education Minister R. Bindu and Excise Minister M.B. Rajesh expressed solidarity with Ms. Thomas and blamed Congress’s social media “attack dogs” for the slanderous campaign against the woman legislator. Ms. Thomas said the vilification campaign would not make her retract her stated and ethically correct political position.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) escalated their satirical political campaign for Mr. Mankootathil’s relinquishment of office by using posters, pop culture images and effigies to lampoon the legislator and his backers on college campuses and on the streets.