The crusader bar owner who blew the whistle on State Finance Minister KM Mani in a well-publicised bribery scandal has cracked open a new war front within the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala.
Kerala Bar Association working president Biju Ramesh has said he has submitted evidence against State Excise Minister K Babu, as well as Mani’s son, in the judicial magistrate court.
Giving him company is an alienated MLA, KB Ganesh Kumar, who claims to have enough material to make short work of PWD Minister Ibrahim Kunju, which he had turned in at the Lok Ayukta court here. The back-to-back developments on Monday suddenly swung the focus away from KM Mani and his bête noir PC George, respectively chairman and vice-chairman of the Kerala Congress (M).
Mani has of late been firing on all cylinders against George, who also happens to be the Chief Whip, vowing not to rest until he sees his back as a party colleague.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy seems to have given in to Mani’s demand and is widely expected to ask George to put in his papers on his return from Dubai on Thursday.
Some observers see all this as an inevitable churn being precipitated ahead of panchayat polls due later this year followed by Assembly elections early next year.
They would not be surprised if the inter- and intra-party squabbles within the ruling coalition force the elections to the Assembly earlier than scheduled.
On Monday, Biju Ramesh also gave a statement before the judicial magistrate under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure against Mani’s kin. The burden of his argument was that Jose K Mani, son and heir apparent of KM Mani, had tried to influence a witness in the bribery case involving his father.
Later, speaking to newspersons, he admitted that he had also submitted evidence against four of Mani’s Cabinet colleagues, including Excise Minister K Babu, close confidant of Chandy.
Probe into assetsIt was then the turn of ruling front legislator-turned rebel Ganesh Kumar to submit evidence against Public Works Minister Kunju and seek a probe into the assets he and his kin had amassed.
While approaching the court, he had merely chosen to bring to logical conclusion the series of allegations he had made on the floor of the Assembly to the collective bewilderment of the treasury benches.