Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress leaders, including Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, made a beeline to Mr K.M. Mani’s official residence, Prashant, to pacify the KC(M) leader who had to bow out of the cabinet on Tuesday.
Mr Chandy held talks with Mr Mani for 10 minutes in the presence of Mr Jose K. Mani, his son and Lok Sabha MP. Mr Chandy remained tightlipped when asked about his visit. Though he had claimed at a press meet on Tuesday after accepting Mr Mani’s resignation that neither he nor the UDF had demanded his resignation, all has not been well between them.
Mr Chandy was at pains to explain how Mr Mani had decided to step down after discussing it in the party forum. Mr Chennithala told reporters that Mr Mani was one of the seniormost leaders and that it was his duty to call on him after he stepped down.
The other ministers who visited him included Mr K. Babu, who is facing the heat from bar owner Biju Ramesh, Mr K. P. Mohanan, Mr V. S. Sivakumar and Mr Shibu Baby John.
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