Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy today asserted that there is no need for beleaguered minister K M Mani to relinquish even his law portfolio as the CPI(M)-led LDF intensified its demand for his resignation in the wake of a court order against him in the bar bribery case.
Chandy's statement assumes significance in the wake of the demand from a section of Kerala Congress (M) workers that Mani should at least quit the law portfolio in view of the present development as a face-saving move to fight the civic polls next week and the Assembly elections next year.
Extending strong support to Mani, Chandy said he was not in favour of victimising a person on the basis of a court order, which was not a final verdict.
Chandy has been backing Mani, the 82 year-old supremo of Kerala Congress (M), the third largest partner in the ruling Congress-led UDF with nine MLAs, ever since the controversial bar bribery scam broke out in 2014.
Besides Law, Mani also is the Finance Minister.
"Though the government is committed to deal firmly with corruption, I do not believe in victimising a person merely on charges of corruption," Chandy told a meet-the-press programme in Thrissur.
"There is no need for Mani to hand over even the law portfolio he holds in the wake of the present court order for further investigation," he said.
Earlier in the day, Chandy held discussions with Advocate General K P Dandapani at Kochi on the future course of action to be taken on the court order.
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said that the order of the special vigilance court had virtually questioned the very existence of the vigilance department.
Referring to the court's criticism on the role of vigilance director in the case, Chennithala said the director had only acted according to law and nothing wrong in using his supervisory power.
He also made it clear that the government would not file a review petition at the high court against the special vigilance court order.
