By The Hindu Bureau

Copyright thehindu

A section within the Congress stands by the beleaguered Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, who was suspended from the party following allegations of sexual misconduct.

Congress block president C.V. Satheesh said here on Thursday that he met Mr. Mamkootathil at his house at Adoor and discussed various issues affecting Palakkad.

Mr. Satheesh said that he met the young MLA with a request to raise the waste management issue of Malampuzha in the Assembly. They also discussed different matters from different wards in Palakkad municipality.

Mr. Satheesh said that the Congress workers would protect Mr. Mamkoothathil considering him as a human being when he comes to Palakkad. The BJP and DYFI had warned that they would not allow Mr. Mamkootathil to enter Palakkad, amid growing controversy surrounding the MLA.

Mr. Satheesh visited the MLA along with five other Congress workers from Palakkad. However, the visit was not with the consent of District Congress Committee president A. Thankappan.

Pisharady justifies MLA

Meanwhile, Congress supporter and cine artiste Ramesh Pisharady justified Mr. Mamkootathil here on Thursday. “The MLA should have been more careful,” he said.

Mr. Pisharady argued that stripping Mr. Mamkootathil of his party positions was premature, suggesting that action should have waited until the allegations were proven.

According to Mr. Pisharady, there were no complaints against Mr. Mamkootathil initially. He said the attacks against Shafi Parambil, MP, were natural as they were close.