Expelled leader Rahul Mamkootathil’s association with Congress workers exposes rift in Pathanamthitta unit

Rahul Mamkootathil. (File photo)

Nearly a year after Rahul Mamkootathil was expelled from the Congress, his continued association with party workers has trigerred an infighting within the party in Pathanamthitta, with leaders at loggerheads over whether to stand by the former Palakkad MLA.

The latest flashpoint is the clash between Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and Youth Congress workers at Adoor General Hospital on Saturday night, in which Mr. Mamkootathil has been arraigned as an accused. Pathanamthitta District Congress Committee (DCC) president Satish Kochuparambil threw his weight behind the expelled leader in the aftermath, describing him as a Congress worker at heart. But the endorsement has drawn sharp objections from a section of district leaders and workers, who oppose any show of support for Mr. Mamkootathil, who had been expelled over allegations of sexual abuse of women.

Goes public

The simmering discontent spilled into the open on Tuesday, when Adoor Block Congress president Abid Shaheem publicly disowned Mr. Mamkootathil, making it clear that the former MLA could no longer claim to represent the party.