Until some time ago, Rahul Mamkootathil embodied the Congress's hopes for a generational shift in Kerala politics.
But since last week, things went topsy-turvy for Mamkootathil following a sexual assault case, and minutes after a court here on Thursday dismissed his anticipatory bail plea in this case, the Congress removed him from the primary membership of the party. Incidentally, his expulsion came exactly a year ahead of his being sworn in as an MLA.
In his mid-thirties, fresh-faced, articulate and unusually self-assured for a first-time MLA, Mamkootathil was seen as part of a small but rising cohort of leaders capable of reconnecting the party with younger voters.
His ascent was quick, almost improbable, and his fall, now playing out in real time, has been even swifter.
Mamkootathil's political break came in November last year when the Congress leadership made the bold decision to field him, the state Youth Congress President, in the Palakkad Assembly by-election.
The choice surprised even insiders.
He was not a district heavyweight, nor someone rooted in traditional organisational ladders.
But his clarity of communication, his ease with the media, and his appeal among the youth made him a compelling candidate for a constituency looking for renewal.
The gamble paid off. Mamkootathil won decisively, and his margin became a talking point within the UDF.
In the months that followed, he was frequently seen on television debates, articulating the party's positions with confidence and fluency.
His ability to deflect aggression and frame issues sharply earned him visibility far beyond Palakkad.
For a party struggling to build a fresh leadership pipeline, Mamkootathil seemed like a much-needed new face.
That promise now lies overshadowed by the sexual assault allegations against him — and the more damaging spectacle of his disappearance from public view for eight days.
For supporters, it is a stunning reversal: a leader once projected as the party's future now stands accused of evasion and impropriety.
For detractors, it is proof of inflated hype.
Regardless of how the investigation ultimately concludes, the political fallout is already significant.
The Congress, which had hoped to cultivate him as a long-term asset, is now grappling with the optics of a promising MLA undone not merely by allegations but by the perception of fleeing accountability.
Mamkootathil's story may yet have more chapters, but the abrupt collapse of his early momentum is a reminder of how quickly fortunes shift in politics and how delicately reputations must be held.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
