After actor, trans woman accuses Kerala Congress MLA of sending ‘sexually regressive’ messages

Kerala Congress legislator Rahul Mamkootathil

Kerala Congress legislator Rahul Mamkootathil is confronting a new set of serious allegations, this time from a trans woman activist who has accused him of sending her "sexually regressive" messages and sharing disturbing sexual fantasies.

The new claims, reported by The Tribune, add a further layer of controversy to the politician who recently resigned as the state's Youth Congress president following separate accusations from a Malayalam actor.

The activist, Avanthika, told Malayalam media that the MLA began frequently contacting her late at night after they met during a television debate related to the Thrikkakara by-election. She alleged that he often sent inappropriate messages and once shared a rape fantasy with her.

According to her account published in The Tribune, she warned Congress leaders about his behaviour but no action was taken. "How can someone with such fantasies be seen as a role model?" she asked.

These allegations emerge alongside those made by Malayalam actor Rini Ann George, who recently in a widely shared online interview accused an unnamed youth leader of sending her inappropriate messages for three years. Although George did not identify Mamkootathil by name, the BJP has directly linked him to the claims.

George stated that the individual once offered to book her a hotel room and asked her to visit. She expressed frustration that her complaints to senior party leaders were ignored, while the MLA continued to rise within the party. “When I warned him I would complain, he told me to go ahead and that no one would care,” she said.

She clarified she was not physically assaulted but wanted to speak out to support other women who may have faced similar harassment from the same leader. She cited safety concerns and a lack of faith in the justice system as her reasons for not filing a formal police complaint.

In response to the mounting pressure, Mamkootathil has denied all accusations. Speaking to reporters, he challenged his accusers to pursue legal action, stating that no official complaints had been filed against him. “They didn’t demand my resignation. The actress mentioned is a good friend. I have never violated the law or the Constitution,” he said.

He also dismissed an alleged audio clip, aired by a news outlet, which suggested he pressured a woman into terminating a pregnancy, claiming it was fabricated and easy to create.

The political opposition has seized upon the scandal. The BJP has demanded Mamkootathil’s immediate resignation and staged protests outside his Palakkad office, which resulted in clashes with the police. Separately, the CPI(M)'s youth wing, the DYFI, has also held demonstrations demanding accountability from the Congress legislator.