“It was a Caesarean surgery,” read an acerbic comment on the social media about Tuesday’s resignation of Kerala Finance Minister KM Mani from the Oommen Chandy Government. “The baby refused to come out for a full year!”
Mani, 82, who holds the record for presenting the State budget for 13 years, and for representing his Pala Assembly constituency for an unbroken 12 times, had stonewalled far too long. The media, and most of the political class, had nudged ‘Mani Sir’ to quit ever since the allegation emerged that he had taken a bribe of ₹1 crore from liquor bar owners in October last year. He, and his Chief Minister, had explored every legal nook and corner to deflect an investigation and to keep going.
However on Monday a judge of the Kerala High Court wanted the investigation continued, observing that “Caesar’s wife should be above suspicion” and that public money was at stake. The judge left the question of resignation from the State Cabinet to Mani’s conscience.
And yet, Mani refused to quit. Senior UDF leaders and second-rung leaders of the Congress publicly suggested that Mani leave. They had realised the damage the ‘Mani factor’ had done to the UDF in this month’s local body elections, where they lost to the Opposition CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front. If Mani did not quit, a similar story would play out in the Assembly elections, which are due in another six months. Finally, late on Tuesday evening, the man put in his papers.
And what an ignominious exit it was for a man who until a year ago had been a giant in Kerala politics! He was one of the founders of the Kerala Congress (KC) party, founded in 1964 after breaking away from the Indian National Congress. The KC split several times later and Mani now heads one party, the Kerala Congress (Mani) named after him.
The KC(M), with eight MLAs, is the third largest constituent of the Chandy Government, but Mani is the unofficial No. 2 in the Cabinet because of his political skills and long administrative experience. He has just completed 50 years of legislative career.
He holds the record for being a Minister for 23 years in 12 different governments. Over the past 45 years, he held the Finance portfolio for 12 years and presented the State budget 13 times. He also held the Law portfolio for 20 years. Currently, he is also the chairman of the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers on Goods and Services Tax. (The Modi Government will now have to look for another chairman).
Mani, a law graduate from Madras Law College, is considered a master tactician and pragmatic politician. With his broad moustache, easy smile, spotlessly clean clothes (he changes his attire twice or thrice a day) and unflappable demeanour, Mani always exuded personal and political confidence. An able administrator, Mani is shrewd, diplomatic, knows how to get things done and how to handle his rivals. He is the darling of the Catholic clergy, which has always exercised a significant clout in the government and administration. He is also a saviour to the mostly-Christian settler community in the Western Ghats and in northern Kerala (however, by giving ownership rights to the settlers, Mani the Minister has often been blamed for the destruction of Kerala’s forests). His son Jose K Mani is the Lok Sabha MP from Kottayam, the KC(M)’s bastion.
The fall from graceIt was a year ago when Biju Ramesh, the leader of the Kerala Bar Owners’ Association, alleged that Mani had taken ₹1 crore, the first instalment of a ₹5 crore bribe demanded, for getting the ban on the 400-odd ‘unqualified’ bars lifted. Because of the political circumstances prevalent and several media exposé that ensued, many among the people believed the charge. But, Mani never offered to quit and Chandy, whose government survives on a razor-thin majority, depended hugely on Mani’s support, never asked for it.
‘Mani as CM’However, there was a sub-plot to the ‘bar bribery’ scandal. The scandal had come up soon after it was revealed that Mani had been plotting to defect from the UDF and trying to form a government headed by him with the outside support of the LDF. Even on the day before his resignation, Mani harped on the theory of a conspiracy against him (by those within the UDF).
Now, with the disgraceful exit from power, a harsh investigation facing the octogenarian and trouble brewing within his own party, is Mani’s political career fading into the sunset? Has autumn of the patriarch begun?