Sexual misconduct accused MLA turns up in Kerala assembly amidst differences among party leaders

Thiruvananthapuram: Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, who was recently suspended from Congress in the wake of a series of sexual misconduct allegations, turned up at the Kerala assembly on Monday as the session began.

There were differences among Congress leaders over Mamkootathil attending the session as it will give an opportunity for the ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front MLAs to criticise the opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front.

Since Mamkootathil was suspended from the Congress he was allotted a separate bloc behind the opposition MLAs. Only a couple of MLAs interacted with him.

Later, he told reporters that he would never disobey the decisions of his party. He refused to comment on the allegations against him citing that those were under probe.

Opposition leader V D Satheesan, who was learnt to be not in favour of Mamkootathil turning up in the house, refused to comment on the issue on Monday. Satheesan had come under cyber attack even from pro-Congress social media groups for the stand against Mamkootathil.

The assembly proceedings during the day was limited to obituary reference for former Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, former speaker P P Thankachan and Peerumedu MLA Vazhoor Soman, who died recently.