CPI plans rally to press Mani’s resignation over Kerala bar licence issue

On November 12, the CPI would hold a march to the state secretariat, demanding the resignation of Mani.

While CPI(M) is soft-peddling on corruption charges against Kerala Finance Minister K M Mani in the bar licence issue, CPI, the second leading ally in the Left Democratic Front, going alone demanding the minister’s resignation.

On November 12, the CPI would hold a march to the state secretariat, demanding the resignation of Mani. The party also wanted judicial probe into the allegation that Mani, leader of Kerala Congress (M), took a bribe of Rs 1 crore to renew bar licence.

On Wednesday, CPI (M) had decided to confine its role in demanding investigation by a special team of Kerala police. The party did not favour either the CBI probe or a judicial probe. CPI (M) soft approach towards Mani had drawn criticism from various quarters. Despite demanding probe by a special police team, CPI (M) had not planned any open protest against Mani.

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On Thursday, CPI state secretary Pannian Raveendran said there is an impression among the people that LDF has taken a soft approach towards Mani expecting to forge an alliance with his party. “The Left silence has embarrassed the people. The special police probe would not yield result as that Congress government can even reject even such a probe report,” said Raveendran.

He said there was no question of forging any alliance with Mani to capture power in Kerala. We hope all the Left parties would go for a concerted agitation demanding Mani’s resignation, said Raveendran.

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