Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkoottathil given separate seat in Kerala Assembly after removal from Congress amid sexual misconduct

Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkoottathil was allotted a seat away from the UDF bloc, following a request from Opposition Leader V D Satheesan, as he is facing accusations of sexual misconduct and was suspended from the Congress Parliamentary Party (CLP). He arrived at the Kerala Assembly today as the proceedings of the 14th session of the 15th Kerala Assembly opened on Monday. CLP leader V D Satheesan on Friday evening handed over a letter to the Speaker's office informing that Mamkootathil is no longer a member of the party and will be considered as part of an independent block.

Rahul Mamkoottathil was suspended from the primary membership of Congress on August 25 after three individuals raised inappropriate misconduct and sexual misbehaviour allegations against him. The government formed a crime branch team to probe the allegations, and the audio of a phone conversation allegedly between Rahul and the victims. Mamkoottathil was allotted a seat away from the UDF bloc, based on a request from Opposition Leader V D Satheesan.

Meanwhile, proceedings of the 14th session of the 15th Kerala Assembly opened on Monday with obituary references to former Chief Minister Velikkakathu Sankaran Achuthanandan, who passed away on July 21, 2025, at the age of 101. Speaker A N Shamseer and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan offered tributes to former Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan at the Assembly, popularly known as the Kerala Niyamasabha.

Achuthananadan's death has put an end to a chapter in Kerala's social and political progress history, the Chief Minister said. He further added, "The passing of VS Achuthanandan marks the end of a significant chapter in Kerala's social and political progress. His death is a great loss not only to Kerala but also to the progressive community. VS played a pivotal role in advancing the communist movement and workers' rights. He was also deeply involved in environmental and women's issues, transcending party lines."

Velikkakathu Sankaran Achuthanandan was the Chief Minister of Kerala from 2006 to 2011. He was the longest-serving opposition leader in the Kerala Assembly, holding the position for 15 years. Achuthanandan was a founding member of the CPM. He served as the Secretary of the CPM Kerala State Committee from 1980 to 1992. He was the LDF convener between 1996 and 2000, and Leader of the Opposition in three separate terms--1992 to 1996, 2001 to 2006, and 2011 to 2016.

Obituary references were also made to veteran Congress leader PP Thankachan and CPI MLA Vazhoor Soman. Soman passed away on August 21 at the age of 72 after collapsing while attending a revenue assembly at PTP Nagarin Thiruvanthapuram. Thankachan, 87, passed away at a private hospital in Ernakulam on September 11. The 14th session of the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly began today, on September 15, 2025, and will continue till October 10. The session will be held in three phases, September 15 to 19, September 29 to 30, and October 6 to 10, covering a total of 12 working days. This session is exclusively for legislative business, with two days set aside specifically for the consideration of bills, Speaker A. N. Shamseer said.

The Assembly will take up several important legislations during this session, including the Kerala General Sales Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2024, the Kerala Societies Registration Bill, 2025, the Kerala Guruvayur Devaswom (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Kerala Coir Workers' Welfare Cess (Amendment) Bill, 2025. In addition, the Kerala Public Records Bill, 2023, which was referred to the Select Committee after being introduced on July 11, 2024, will also be considered in this session. The House will also replace the Kerala Public Service Commission (Additional Functions in respect of Services under Universities) Amendment Ordinance, 2025, with a Bill. The detailed schedule regarding the consideration of these Bills and other government business will be finalised in the Business Advisory Committee meeting to be held on September 15, 2025. On October 6, the House will discuss and vote on the demands for grants for the 2025-26 financial year, followed by the Appropriation Bill on October 7. The session will conclude on October 10. (ANI)

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