THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Kerala Finance Minister KM Mani, accused of bribery, has offered to resign, sources have told NDTV. Despite pressure from the opposition and within, the Congress led United Democratic Front seemed unwilling to ask him to step down, after a preliminary meeting to discuss the matter earlier today.
The High Court had yesterday ordered that investigations into charges of bribery against Mr Mani would continue. The court also observed that "Caesar's wife should be above suspicion" leading to demands for the finance minister's resignation.
Top leaders of the UDF - which is a seven party coalition including Mr Mani's Kerala Congress (M) - met at Chief Minister Oommen Chandy's house this morning to discuss the issue. Mr Mani was not present at the meeting, with leaders from his party holding a separate meeting at his home and defending his right to continue in office.
Communist Marxist Party President CP John, who attended the meeting at Mr Chandy's house, told NDTV that the "mood in the UDF is of not forcing KM Mani to resign."
The Kerala Congress (M) chief KM Mani is a crucial ally of UDF with the party's eight legislators making up the entire lead that the United Democratic Front has over its rival, the Left Democratic Front, in the assembly.
According to a key hotelier, Mr Mani allegedly demanded and accepted bribe for renewal of licences of bars which were shut down for being substandard last year.
The opposition has been demanding the finance minister's resignation ever since the allegations surfaced in November 2014. Left Democratic Front lawmakers had tried to prevent Mr Mani from presenting the state's Budget in March this year, turning the state assembly into a battlefield with chairs and mics ripped out and scuffles between members of the two sides.