Kottayam: Finance Minister and Kerala Congress (M) Chairman K.M.Mani said the steering committee of his party had decided to ask party members to desist from expressing their wish to make him the Chief Minister.
He was speaking to reporters on Tuesday after the steering committee meeting of the party here. “I'm not aspiring to be Chief Minister.
The steering committee meeting of the party has decided to ask party members not to raise that wish. No party member should raise that wish anywhere”, he told reporters.
Mani said the strike declared by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) on the basis of the allegations of bribe against him was intended to sabotage the UDF Government.
The LDF had declared the strike to help bar owners. The party would take an appropriate decision on the bribe issue at the UDF meeting to be held on November 22”, Mani maintained.
“The Kerala Congress (M) is a party which is capable of standing on its own. We haven’t gone anywhere pleading to be taken into the Left Democratic Front (LDF). We have made no moves to join the LDF”, he added.
“Some people have got it wrong about the Kerala Congress. My public life has been an open book for the last 50 years. The people of Pala were no fools to have sent me to the Legislative Assembly all these years.
We believe there’s been a conspiracy behind the bar bribe allegations. However, we are not willing to disclose details of those who are behind the allegation”, Mani pointed out.
Water Resources Minister and KC (M) leader P.J.Joseph said allegations were being raised in the bar bribe case without any evidence. “No one had given evidence before the Vigilance so far.
The personal attacks against K.M.Mani by the CPI are not appropriate. The CPI has a hidden agenda in the controversies”, Joseph said.
