Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has refused to entertain the resignation of Government Chief Whip Thomas Unniyadan, who has offered to stand down in solidarity with his party chairman and Finance Minister KM Mani.  

Unniyadan represents Kerala Congress (Mani), the third largest constituent in the ruling Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government. 

CABINET MEETING

Speaking to newspersons at a hastily convened interaction after Mani and Unniyadan offered their resignations at the end of a gripping day-long political drama yesterday, the Chief Minister said a decision on Unniyadan's letter will be taken at the next meeting of the State Cabinet. 

He believed that Unniyadan's intended step is “no more than a sentimental response taken in the heat of the moment” and without weighing options available to him. 

So his offer to stand down would be treated as such and not immediately accepted, Chandy told newspersons. 

MANI REPLACEMENT

Mani, the Kerala Finance Minister and Chairman of the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers , was forced to resign in response to a state-wide demand for the same in the wake of adverse High Court comments against him in the bar bribery case. 

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister said the candidate to replace Mani in the Finance Ministry would be decided in consultation with Mani himself. 

Mani's party has nine members in the 140-member House and has a major role in sustaining the UDF Government, which enjoys a majority of just seven. 

The government has completed four-and-a-half years and will seek another term in the Assembly elections, which are due in the next six months. 

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