'Casting couch' in Kerala Congress? BJP accuses V D Satheesan of seeking sexual favours

According to reports, Kerala Congress leader Simi Rosebell was denied positions within the party for failing to 'satisfy' V D Satheesan.

As Kerala grapples with a #MeToo wave sparked by the release of the Hema Committee report, a Kerala Congress leader named Simi Rosebell has come forward accusing Opposition leader V D Satheesan of seeking sexual favours.

According to reports, she was denied positions within the party for failing to 'satisfy' Satheesan.

BJP Andhra Pradesh State Vice President Vishnu Vardhan Reddy took to X to level these allegations against Satheesan, citing Rosebell's reported comments.

He further wrote, "This isn’t an isolated incident—it's a disturbing reflection of the Congress party’s culture, where male leaders prey on women. No wonder many women are leaving the Congress."

A press release by Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), meanwhile, stated that Rosebell had been expelled from the primary membership of the party for insulting female leaders before the media.

Last week, partial release of the Hema Committee report brought to light incidents of sexual assault and intimidation faced by women while working in the Malayalam film industry. Since its publication, more women have come forward to share their ordeals.

The opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) stated on Sunday that they will hold a protest on Monday in front of the Secretariat, the administrative hub in Kerala.

They have accused the Left government of protecting culprits reportedly mentioned in the Justice K Hema Committee report.

Till now, FIRs have been registered against actor-politician Mukesh, fellow actors Sidhique, Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju, Idavela Babu and director Ranjith.