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Bribery charges rocks Congress-led UDF ministry In Kerala

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he three-year old Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government is being rocked by a bribery scam. A group of liquor contractors charges that KM Mani, the finance and law minister and patriarch of Kerala Congress, the third largest partner in the UDF, has received Rs one crore of the five crore he had demanded to change the liquor policy of the government which will enable hundreds of closed bars to reopen.

Biju Ramesh, a leading abkari contractor and working president of Kerala Bar Owners' Association, has claimed that he personally handed over the amount on behalf of the association to Mani. "If the government fails to take action against Mani, I will move the court and if proved wrong, I will either self-immolate or face self-exile,'' he threatens.

As soon as his revelation came on a Malayalam news channel on Friday night, several liquor contractors have come out supporting him. Mani is one of the senior most political leaders in the state with a public life spanning over six decades. He has been the member in all Kerala Assemblies since late sixties and he is the minister for the ninth term now.

Though Mani claims that the allegation is part of a political conspiracy against him and will initiate legal action against Biju Ramesh, and all ministers and UDF leaders rallied behind him, it has not served the purpose. On the contrary, political developments taking place in the State are making the wicket more slippery for Mani.

Kerala Congress leaders confide that the Oommen Chandy-led faction in the Congress is behind it. Mani who is in the autumn of his political career is craving for the post of chief minister. Grapevine is that he has been trying to become chief minister with the help of the opposition LDF dominated by the CPM. Chandy and his men are trying to shoot down Mani's move.

Making the matter worse, PC George, UDF chief whip in the Assembly and a Kerala Congress leader has alleged that Congress ministers had also taken bribe from the bar owners. Prathapan, a prominent young Congress MLA demanded that a probe be ordered into the allegation. On a letter by Opposition leader VS Achuthanandan, vigilance director has order an investigation. This is brewing new trouble for the UDF because now the opposition leaders demand Mani's resignation. They argue that he is holding the post while going an investigation against him is unfair.

Under the new liquor policy of the State, only five star hotels are permitted to run bars. Cashing in on this, UDF leaders took a huge bribe from owners of closed bars promising to revisit the policy. But the court is taking a favouring stand on the policy in ongoing legal battles, the leaders cannot fulfill their promise. In all, there are over 700 bars in Kerala, which is one of the largest liquor consuming State.

 

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