“If something happens to me, Amma (Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa) will be there to defend me,” says Biju Ramesh, billionaire businessman and whistleblower in the bar bribery scam who is being fielded by the AIADMK in the Thiruvananthapuram Central Assembly constituency in Kerala’s capital.

Biju Ramesh, 51, the controversial working president of the Kerala Bar Hotel Owners Association, who took the lid off the bar bribery scam that shook the Oommen Chandy Government to the roots, is among the seven candidates the Tamil party is fielding in Kerala. The AIADMK, which has little presence in Kerala except in the Tamil pockets in Thiruvananthapuram, Idukki and Palakkad districts, is taking this election a little seriously this time.

“To me this is not a political fight, this is a fight for personal survival in a highly hostile environment in which I am all alone defending myself,” he told BusinessLine. “I hope by choosing to contest the election, the AIADMK will give provide me a platform and that the party and its great leader will protect me.”

Alone? Biju Ramesh, with all his wealth, connections and influence? “Yes, I have realised from my experience that when I am in trouble, all these connections and allies in Kerala would not come forward to protect me.” His revelations had cost him dearly in terms of money, time and court battles.

Ramesh, who became a household name in the State after he revealed that he and other bar owners had paid crores of rupees in bribes to three ministers as well as officials with a view to securing their cancelled bar licences renewed, is going to be the party’s star candidate. In the wake of his revelations, Finance Minister K.M. Mani was forced to resign while Excise Minister K. Babu had resigned, but returned to the Cabinet after a week. Because of the Chandy Government’s liquor policy, Ramesh’s Rajadhani Group of businesses had to closed down lucrative bars at eight of its hotels.

But, of all the parties, why the AIADMK and why not a major Kerala party? “In fact, I was surprised when the party announced my candidature,” he said. “I tried to wriggle out of this, but the party persisted.” Of course, he had been a member of the AIADMK “in Tamil Nadu” for six years. This was a defensive step as he had a lot of businesses and properties in Kanyakumari and Chennai and certain DMK cadre used to demand `goonda pirivu’ (extortion) from him. After it was known that he was an AIADMK man, the extortion had stopped, he claimed.

Ramesh pins his hopes on the roughly 30,000 Tamil population in his constituency and the image of Amma. “Amma has asked me to meet her on Wednesday,” Ramesh said. “Other details of the election will be decided at the meeting. Of course, I will make a last-minute attempt to wriggle out of the election, too.”

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