KC(M): LDF had offered CM post

‘A section of Congress leaders behind framing of bar bribery case against Mani’

For the record, its official. The Left Democratic Front (LDF) had offered the Chief Ministerial post to Kerala Congress (M) chairman K.M. Mani during the tenure of the Oommen Chandy government.

Making its first official acknowledgement of the much-talked-about political development, KC(M) official mouthpiece Prathichhaya, in its editorial, said the claims made by Public Works Minister G. Sudhakaran in Idukki last month were true.

The KC(M) chairman had, however, refused to ditch the United Democratic Front, the editorial said. It meanwhile makes a scathing attack on the Congress, alleging that a section of the Congress party had ‘repaid’ Mr. Mani’s allegiance to the United Democratic Front (UDF) by mounting an attack by framing the bar bribery case against him.

These leaders had worked against Mr. Mani behind the curtains but talked in his support in public, it said.

The editorial also comes in support of Jose K. Mani, who had apparently blocked the LDF move in consideration of a ministerial post in the then UPA government at the Centre. In that case, Mr. Jose K. Mani should have been lauded for his efforts to keep the UDF intact, the editorial said. “In case he was offered a ministerial post at the Centre, why did it fail to materialise,” the article asks.

‘Great temptation’

Meanwhile, the KC(M) chairman told mediapersons who met him that he did not want to be dragged into the editorial piece, but said he had to undergo great temptation during the tenure of the UDF government. He had not asked anyone, including P.C. Goerge, then the party’s vice chairman, to enter into negotiations with the LDF on the issue. “Whether Mr. Gorge had talked to any LDF leaders on his own was a different matter,” he said.

The editorial also elicited a staunch denial from LDF convener Vaikom Viswan who said that no such offer was given. “I don’t know what made Mr. Sudhakaran make such a statement in Idukki,” he said.

Mr. George, however, reiterated his earlier statements that he had held talks with LDF leaders on the issue and it was Mr. Jose K. Mani who blocked Mr. Mani’s entry into the LDF.