The Rise and Fall of Rahul Mankootathil: From Swearing-in to Expulsion
For nearly a year, Rahul Mankootathil has been a prominent figure in Kerala’s political discourse. The 36-year-old B.R. Rahul, known more widely as Rahul Mankootathil, embodies a remarkable and unprecedented political phenomenon in the state. On December 4, 2025, exactly one year after being sworn in as an MLA, he became the first individual to be expelled from his party for reasons entirely unrelated to political conduct.
Rahul’s political journey began through the Kerala Students Union (KSU). By 2020, he had garnered significant public attention through his engaging social media posts and fiery appearances on television debates, quickly establishing himself as one of Kerala’s most recognizable political personalities by 2023. This rapid ascent culminated in his election as the Youth Congress state president, a position he secured despite allegations from party workers regarding the use of fake voter IDs in the organizational election. His mentor, Shafi Parambil, had earlier lauded him as ‘the gift Congress is giving to Palakkad’ during the by-election campaign. Even prominent Congress leader Cherian Philip, impressed by Rahul’s swift rise, once hailed him as ‘Kerala’s future Chief Minister.’ Early in his career, then-Chief Minister Oommen Chandy provided financial assistance for Rahul’s postgraduate studies at St. Stephen’s in Delhi, enabling his academic pursuits after his graduation from Catholicos College in Pathanamthitta.
His public image was further solidified when his arrest during a Secretariat protest, carried out in the early hours at his home in Adoor, bestowed upon him a ‘martyr-like’ status. However, his outspoken nature also led to controversy, notably his remark regarding Padmaja Venugopal, daughter of the late leader K. Karunakaran, when she joined the BJP. Rahul’s comment, suggesting she was ‘no longer born of the father K. Karunakaran,’ drew strong condemnation and emotional responses from Padmaja.
In a significant political move, Shafi Parambil’s return to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Alappuzha necessitated a by-election in Palakkad. Shafi again backed Rahul as his successor, a decision firmly supported by Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan. Rahul subsequently won the Palakkad constituency by-election with a record majority of 18,840 votes. His immense social media following, which often saw his Facebook posts garnering over 50,000 likes within 24 hours, cemented his image as a unique leader unafraid to challenge norms, even addressing the Chief Minister as ‘Edo Vijaya’ – a move that further boosted his popularity across Instagram and Facebook. Many observed that his rise signaled the end of traditional, ‘old-fashioned’ political activism in Kerala, replaced by a new era where ‘reels are king’.
However, this meteoric rise was soon overshadowed by a different kind of controversy. Following the Nilambur victory, an internal ‘Reel v/s Real’ debate emerged within the Congress, contrasting ground-level workers with social media-driven leaders. Shortly thereafter, multiple sexual harassment allegations surfaced against Rahul Mankootathil, an unmarried MLA, from several women and a transwoman. These allegations, initially vague, eventually implicated him directly, although no formal complaint was lodged for approximately 100 days.
Rahul initially withdrew from public life, staying at his Adoor home with close friends for about a month. He gradually re-entered public view, attending the state assembly and even undertaking a pilgrimage to Sabarimala. During this period, he received widespread support on social media, including from film personalities, who questioned the absence of formal complaints. Pictures of Rahul with women of various ages were circulated online, seemingly to repair his tarnished image. Despite some distancing by senior party leaders, a significant section of Congress workers and cyber supporters remained loyal, believing the allegations would fade like other controversies in the state.
The situation drastically changed when a young woman directly filed a complaint with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on November 27, 2025. This action immediately led to Rahul going into hiding, with police pursuing him across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. On November 28, the Nedumangad Valiyamala Police registered a case under non-bailable sections, which was later transferred to Nemom Police, and a lookout notice was issued. Further escalating the legal challenges, a 23-year-old Bengaluru resident filed an email complaint on December 2. The Thiruvananthapuram Principal Sessions Court denied his pre-arrest bail on December 4, the same day he was expelled from the primary membership of the Congress, marking a dramatic downfall from his swearing-in as MLA exactly a year prior.
His journey has been marked by several key events: born on November 12, 1989; elected Youth Congress State President on November 21, 2023; arrested during the Secretariat protest on January 9, 2024; elected Palakkad MLA on November 23, 2024, and sworn in on December 4, 2024. Controversial actions included a secret meeting with P.V. Anvar on May 31, 2025, which drew criticism from Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan. The sexual harassment allegations gained momentum when Rini Ann George spoke out on August 19, 2025, followed by leaked phone conversations and chats, leading to Rahul’s resignation as Youth Congress State President on August 21, 2025. The Crime Branch registered a case on August 25, 2025, and he was suspended from the Congress Parliamentary Party on the same day. The timeline of alleged sexual assaults includes incidents on March 17, April 22, and late May 2025, with an alleged forced abortion on May 30, 2025. The earlier fake voter ID case during the Youth Congress elections in November 2023, which led to the arrest of his associates, also resurfaced during this tumultuous period.