Dismissing threats from Left opposition and BJP, Kerala Finance Minister K.M. Mani said on Wednesday that it would be an usual business for him to present his 13th budget in the assembly on March 13.
Mani is facing an onslaught from the Left and BJP, which have announced that they would not allow the minister to enter the assembly on Friday to present the state budget.
"Why should I stay the previous night in the assembly complex. It will be as always, I will come from my residence and present my budget. Everything looks bright as this is the 13th Kerala Assembly and I am presenting my 13th state budget on the 13th of this month," said Mani.
The CPI-M-led Left opposition has been up in arms against Mani after a whistleblower bar owner Biju Ramesh claimed last year that Mani took a bribe of Rs.one crore to open the closed down bars in the state.
Following this, a vigilance case was registered against Mani and the Left opposition -- and now the BJP also -- has announced that he will not be allowed entry to the assembly complex on Friday to present the state budget.
"I feel sorry for the youths who will be coming to prevent me from entering the assembly on Friday morning. They are being misled by the CPI-M leaders," said Mani.
"The Yuva Morcha (youth wing of the BJP) is also there. Don't forget BJP is the party which took commission on coffins. I am surprised it's such people who speak of corruption and morality," said Mani.
State Congress president V.M. Sudheeran, in defence of the beleaguered finance minister said: "This defies the basic tenets of democracy and all those who have announced that they will not allow the budget to be presented should turn away from this. If one has differences of opinion with any minister, there are ways by which one can raise it in the true democratic way, but using force is unheard of and this does not augur well for democracy."