UDF meet tomorrow amid case against Kerala Finance Minister

A crucial meeting of ruling Congress-led UDF leaders scheduled to be held here tomorrow, would discuss, among other things, the political fallout of the vigilance case against Finance Minister K M Mani in the 'bar bribe scam' and strategy to counter the opposition LDF agitation on the matter.
The UDF meet, first after the vigilance wing registered the case against the Kerala Congress(M) supremo, is likely to extend full support to him, holding that Mani need not resign on the political pressure of LDF, UDF sources said.
In an embarrassment to the 81-year-old Mani, the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau filed an FIR in a special court here after a preliminary inquiry on the allegation of a bar owner that Mani had taken bribe of Rs one crore for ensuring reopening of closed bars.

Though both Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and KPCC President V M Sudheeran have already said there was no need for Mani to resign just on the basis of the FIR, the UDF meet would formally express its solidarity with the minister.
KC(M), a key partner in the Front, is reportedly aggrieved that Mani did not get due political support from the Congress when the charges were raised against him.
CPI-M-led LDF has demanded Mani's resignation or asked the Chief Minister to drop him from the Ministry.
Another major issue to be taken up for discussion would be the corruption allegation levelled by a minor partner of the Front, Kerala Congress(B) MLA K B Ganesh Kumar against the office of Public Works Department Ministry headed by V K Ebrahim Kunju of the Indian Union Muslim League.

The UDF is not happy the way in which Kumar raised the issue in the Assembly and was of the view that Kumar had violated coalition principles. Congress is likely to seek action against Kumar, according to UDF sources.