Bargate climax: KC(M) stands divided

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: When the Congress leaders clamoured for Finance Minister K. M. Mani’s immediate resignation, the KC (M) leaders were huddled together to decide the future course of action.

A beleaguered Mani  reportedly asked his party colleagues that his son and Lok Sabha MP Jose K. Mani be given the ministerial berth. This did not go down well with a section of the party leaders who owe allegiance to Water Resources Minister P. J. Joseph.

Mr Mani at one stage wanted the party to give up all the  ministerial positions, including the  chief whip’s post held by Mr Thomas Unniyadan.

But  the KC (M) leaders were not keen on this and left it to the  steering meeting  at Prashant, Mr Mani’s official residence at Cliff House enclave, to decide  on Tuesday morning. 

KC (M) leaders Antony Raju and P. C. Joseph demanded that the steering committee meeting should be held immediately.

“The High Court’s verdict has created a grave situation,”  said Mr Antony Raju. But Mr Unniyadan maintained that Mr Mani need not resign showing the   differences of opinion among KC (M) leaders.

Mr Mani would have liked his party to pull out of the government and support it from the outside to blunt the impact of a  dishonourable exit for him in the golden jubilee of his legislative innings. This point was slated for discussion at the late night meeting at Mr Mani’s residence in Pala. But Kerala Congress (M) was not  a united house.

True to Kerala Congress politics, Mr Mani drove to Pala and met Bishop Mar Joseph Kallarangatt. He also met NSS general secretary G. Sukumaran Nair.

Earlier Mr Mani alleged that there was  a conspiracy  against him to shunt him out from the cabinet ever since the bar scam controversy arose. However, Congress leaders did not react to the  accusation.

After holding talks with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy at Cliff House, KPCC president V. M. Sudheeran told reporters that he had not talked to Mr Mani since the High Court verdict came, but would discuss it in the UDF meeting on Tuesday.

 

 

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