Rahul Mamkootathil faces the music at KPCC meet over remarks on Padmaja

Thiruvananthapuram: Youth Congress leader Rahul Mamkootathil came under fire within the party for his remarks on Padmaja Venugopal, who left the Congress to join the BJP recently. 

The issue was raised first by Sooranad Rajasekharan at KPCC Political Affairs Committee meeting here on Wednesday. However, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan took a stand to avoid controversies as the general elections are round the corner.

Many Congress leaders had criticised Padmaja, daughter of Congress leader K Karunakaran, for leaving the party to join the BJP. However, Rahul Mamkootathil’s censure of Padmaja had invited public wrath. Now, the Congress party itself has come against the youth leader over the same.

Sooranad Rajasekharan maintained that Rahul’s tone was arrogant and that lambasting a woman using mean language was not justifiable. He also took strong exception to dragging leader K Karunakaran to the issue. However, Satheesan held that the issue was already discussed and there was no need to stir more controversies as the elections are nearing.

Rahul had said, “Karunakaran had upheld the principle of secularism all along his life.. If she tries to cash in on the rich legacy of her father, she will face strong opposition from the Youth Congress workers…”