Under fire over sexual assault row, Mukesh explains himself to Chief Minister, cites threats from complainant

Protests from opposition parties and women’s organizations have intensified after an actress filed a sexual harassment complaint against MLA Mukesh. In response, Mukesh has denied the allegations, claiming the actress threatened him and that he has WhatsApp messages to support his defense. 

Thiruvananthapuram: Protests from the opposition parties and women organizations have intensified following a sexual harassment complaint filed by an actress against MLA Mukesh. In response to the growing outcry, Mukesh has provided an explanation to the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, asserting that the allegations are baseless and that the complainant had, in fact, threatened him. Mukesh further claimed that he possesses WhatsApp messages from the actress, which he believes will support his defense.

The explanation was given yesterday, as pressure mounts for Mukesh's resignation, with calls for his stepping down coming from opposition parties and various protest groups. Despite the unrest, discussions within the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) are ongoing regarding Mukesh's resignation. 

LDF convener EP Jayarajan has publicly rejected the demand for Mukesh's resignation, though the party has yet to make a final decision on the matter. Meanwhile, the police have registered a case against Mukesh following the actress's complaint. However, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) has not yet accepted the demands for his resignation.

EP Jayarajan, the LDF convener, responded to calls for Mukesh's resignation by pointing out that the Congress has not asked its MLAs to resign in similar past incidents. He emphasized that the decision to file a case against Mukesh reflects the government's moral stance and its commitment to protecting women. Jayarajan assured that no special protection would be granted to Mukesh and noted that Congress MLAs in similar situations had not resigned, stating that all will become clear as the investigation progresses.

Mukesh remains at his residence in Thiruvananthapuram and has indicated that he will address the media after the case against him. In anticipation of further protests, police have bolstered security at Mukesh's MLA office in Kollam and his residence in Pattathanam.