Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 7 (NationPress) Expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil stated on Saturday that the citizens of Kerala are ready to oust Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the forthcoming Assembly elections, mirroring their actions against the ruling Left during the local body elections in December 2023.

Mamkootathil accused the government of utilizing the renewed focus on the Sabarimala gold heist and the interrogation of Congress leaders by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) as a politically driven strategy by what he termed an “anti-people government” to recover its diminishing public standing.

He connected the timing of the investigation to the approaching Assembly elections.

“This is not the main issue. It’s a desperate attempt to regain lost credibility, even by bringing up the theft of the gold belonging to Ayyappa at Sabarimala,” remarked Mamkootathil.

He further alleged that the government and certain media outlets are excessively working to distract from the failures of governance.

He referred to reports indicating that the SIT had questioned senior Congress MP Adoor Prakash, who sought clarification on the precise offence under scrutiny.

Mamkootathil criticized the investigation for concentrating on personal connections rather than on criminal accountability, raising concerns about whether the SIT was probing into who had taken photographs with the primary accused, Unnikrishnan Potti, or who had prior acquaintance with him before he faced charges.

He hinted at Cliff House, the official residence of Vijayan, suggesting selective investigation and implying that those in power are not held accountable.

Mamkootathil highlighted that the alleged Sabarimala gold theft took place in 2019 and questioned how an Opposition MP, who has not held a government position since then, could be linked to a crime committed during the tenure of the current ruling party, either to shield the actual culprits or to fabricate a political narrative.

Having been elected as an MLA in the November 2024 by-election, Mamkootathil has recently emerged as a vocal critic of Chief Minister Vijayan.

His statements follow his recent release on bail after spending several weeks in jail related to one of three similar rape allegations against him.

While he obtained anticipatory bail in two cases, he was apprehended in the third before he could seek legal protection, asserting that the cases are politically motivated.

Mamkootathil also expressed confidence that voters would discern the political intentions behind the investigation and react decisively in the upcoming elections.