Congress expels woman leader who alleged 'casting couch' in Kerala Cong

Simi Rosebell John, a Congress leader who recently claimed that women leaders need "sponsorship" from male party members to advance within the ranks, was expelled from the party on Sunday. The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) stated that the disciplinary action was taken after it was determined that John's actions constituted a serious breach of party discipline.

According to the KPCC, women leaders from the party's political affairs committee, female office-bearers of the PCC, and the Mahila Congress chief collectively lodged a complaint urging the party leadership to take action against John, who previously served as a member of the All India Congress Committee (AICC).

In response to the complaint, KPCC president K Sudhakaran decided to expel John from the party, as confirmed by KPCC general secretary M Liju in an official statement.


The party leadership accused John of making her allegations with the intent to defame and cause mental distress to thousands of female leaders and workers within the Congress.

Reacting to her expulsion, Simi Rosebell John stated that women with dignity and self-respect find it difficult to continue working within the Congress party.

"If the party leadership has any evidence to prove their allegations, it should be released," she told reporters in Kochi.

"Thus, they have expelled a person who has worked for the party for a long time. They should explain the reason for their action. If they are alleging conspiracy with the CPI(M), they should release evidence for that," John said.

Rosebell, in her recent interview to a TV channel, had made these allegations and had claimed that those not in the good books of party leaders, like Satheesan, are sidelined.

She had also alleged that she was denied certain opportunities in the party due to the objections of leaders like Satheesan and Hibi Eden.

In view of her allegations, the ruling CPI(M) on Saturday took a dig at the Congress by claiming that the grand old party has a "power group" similar to the one allegedly in the film industry.

Inputs from PTI