In what is being widely discussed as the “Congress Pyaar Trap” scandal in Kerala, Youth Congress state president and MLA Rahul Mankoottam has resigned from his post following a series of shocking revelations by multiple women accusing him of sexual exploitation, betrayal on the promise of marriage, and even forcing a woman to undergo an abortion. The allegations have triggered a political storm, mounting pressure on the Congress leadership as more women step forward with evidence.
The immediate spark came from Malayalam actor and former journalist Rini Ann George, who publicly said a young political leader sent her offensive messages and invited her to a hotel, without naming him. The clip of Rahul’s curt response to reporters about a separate sexual assault allegation, “Who cares?”, went viral, fueling speculation and drawing other women to share experiences. Writer Honey Bhaskaran then alleged she, too, had received obscene messages from the MLA. Both statements added momentum to a widening storm that the party could no longer ignore.
The further controversy erupted after a young woman revealed to a News channel that Rahul had sexual relations with her under the promise of marriage, only to refuse later. According to her, the betrayal caused severe mental distress. “Rahul said that I could not marry him on the same day that we had sex. He said he had a lot to do ahead, that marriage would make things difficult, that he could not be available. He told me that if we had a child, he would not be able to spend time with that child because of his busy life. That is why he said he could not marry me. I was mentally distressed,” she said.
The woman also narrated how Rahul continued to pressure her emotionally, even threatening suicide if she resisted his demands. “He called me several times asking why I was forcing him and said he would commit suicide right then. Then he asked me what I wanted. He said if I were to commit suicide, you would have called me. I asked if he was threatening me, and he asked me back what I would gain after threatening him. Later he called crying, saying he hadn’t gone anywhere, that he was still with me, not in his hometown. Then he got angry and asked why I was making an issue. He called me a bad name and said that even if he got married, we should continue the relationship. It was too late when I realised I was deceived,” she added.
She further revealed that Rahul forced her to come to his room despite her unwillingness. “Even though I said I was not interested, he forced me to come to his room and used to call me morning, afternoon, and night. He approached me in a good way. At first, he said he was not interested. Then he himself would take the initiative and call constantly. If not, then stop. He insisted he would see if I was the right person for him. He created a situation by saying he would see and talk. Rahul and Feni Ninan were with him. They came and took me away. He chose a place I didn’t know to talk. People would see, so he insisted on taking a room, saying that would be safe,” she said.
Amid these allegations, a shocking audio conversation emerged, released by media, in which Rahul is allegedly heard pressuring the woman to undergo an abortion. The young woman’s voice in the call was edited to maintain privacy.
Further embarrassment for the Congress came when more obscene chats surfaced, reportedly sent by Rahul to a colleague in the party back in 2020. With the situation spiralling out of control the WhatsApp group of the state committee witnessed heated discussions demanding immediate action. One female leader demanded legal proceedings, while others called for convening the state committee without delay.
As public outrage grew and pressure mounted on the Congress high command, Rahul finally stepped down as Youth Congress state president. However, calls for his resignation from the MLA post are intensifying as more women come forward with evidence of sexual assault and coercion.
The “Congress Pyaar Trap” scandal has now turned into a major political crisis for the party, with Rahul’s resignation marking only the beginning of what could become one of the biggest controversies in Kerala’s recent political history.
