It's Muslim League's turn to stop a Mexit'

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Congress (M) MLAs will sit as a separate block in the Assembly. Party chairman K.M. Mani is learnt to have decided  this after rebuffing the attempts made by the Congress and the Muslim League to pacify him.  Mr Mani has gone meditating at  a prayer meeting at Christeen retreat centre at Kalathipady, Kottayam, and remained incommunicado.   After the prayer meeting, Mr Mani will leave for the two- day camp of the party  at Charalkunnu  at  the weekend.

The KC(M) MLAs who met at Mr  Jose K. Mani’s house in Kottayam on Sunday night agreed to the suggestion to sit as  a separate block in the Assembly, it is learnt. Muslim League leader P. K. Kunhalikutty tried to talk to Mr Mani after  the mission by former chief minister Oommen Chandy failed. Mr Ramesh Chennithala also called him but Mr Mani did not  respond saying he was busy. 

Mr Mani and his son and Kottayam MP Jose K. Mani are also sore with  Kottayam MLA Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan who has been wrecking the progress  made by the junior Mani. “When Jose K. Mani MP gets some projects for Kottayam from New Delhi, they are  wrecked by Thiruvanchoor. Before Jose K. Mani lands in the district, Thiruvanchoor would install flex boards congratulating himself,”  said a KC (M) leader.

Mr Thiruvanchoor, when he was the home minister,  had reportedly tapped Mr Mani’s phone when he held secret talks with  CPM secretary Pinarayi Vijayan. Mr Mani’s plans were  scuttled by Mr Thiruvanchoor and Mr  Oommen Chandy. A section of  Congress leaders feels that Mr Mani hopes to get out of the bar scam cases by joining the LDF.

“While the UDF government tarnished his image and also implicated him in the bar scam, the LDF government has found  no new evidence against him. This came as a relief to Mani and in all likelihood he would return the favour,” said a KC (M) source. The Vigilance department held by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan too has taken a favourable stand in the bar scam. Vigilance director Jacob Thomas had recently ordered a probe into the corruption of  Rs. 65 crore involving Mr Mani and a  broiler chicken firm.  Mr  Mani hopes to  save his face with the support of the LDF.