FINALLY, Kerala finance and law minister K M Mani has resigned. As Kerala’s longest serving MLA, who has never lost an assembly election and has been a minister for record 13 times, Mani had repeatedly rubbished demands for his resignation after bribery allegations first surfaced one year ago. The allegation was that he took a huge bribe to defer the new policy decisions on closure of all bars in the state, other than those attached to five star hotels. But in November 9, Kerala High Court made scathing attacks against the minister. It made Mani's continuation in office untenable until the probe exonerated him. Without directly asking for the minister's resignation, the high court said it was leaving the matter to his conscience. In the judgment, Justice B Kemal Pasha endorsed the vigilance court judgment for further investigation, and reminded of Shakespearian saying that 'Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion'. He added In a "case like this, it is quiet natural for the common man to entertain a feeling that there cannot be proper investigation by state machinery when the accused continuing as a minister." Even after this damaging court verdict, Mani had rubbished the opposition demand for his resignation. Coming just two days after the UDF dismal showing in the local body polls, the court's scathing comment was a big blow to them. CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and opposition leader V S Achudandan had been repeatedly demanding resignation of Mani and Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. Soon after the court verdict, Kerala Congress (M) Mani's friends turned his foes. State Congress president V M Sudheeran and Kerala home minister Ramesh Chennithala joined the chorus for Mani's resignation. UDF constituent Indian Union Muslim League followed the suit. Water resources minister P J Joseph refused to quit the ministry along with his party chairman Mani. Oommen Chandy cleverly used this schism in the Kerala Congress (M) for his advantage. He sent his protégé and minister K C Joseph to the house of P J Joseph and offered full support. Cornered Mani has no other option other than resignation. Eying the finance portfolio, government chief whip and a Mani protégé, Thomas Unniyadan also stepped down. Finally, Mani’s resignation was handed over to the chief minister at his Cliff House residence by Mani's nephew and MLA Roshy Augustine and Joseph M Puthussery. Mani claimed that his resignation was voluntary and that he has offered unconditional support to the UDF government. But at the same time, he alleged a political conspiracy behind the case and that justice was not meted out to him from expected quarters. He said many bayed for his blood after launching a witchhunt. A relieved Chandy said after Mani’s resignation neither UDF nor he demanded resignation from Mani. Continuing to defend Mani, the chief minister said there was no adverse remarks against Mani in the high court verdict but the resignation was to uphold high democratic values. The Opposition said that Mani should have stepped down when the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau launched an investigation into allegation that he had taken bribe from hotel and bar associations office-bearers. Whatever may be the political damage to the UDF in the long run, Mani’s ouster is a huge setback to the UDF dispensation. In further trouble for the UDF government, more skeletons are tumbling out of the cupboard. Two days after Mani resigned under tremendous pressure, excise minister K Babu found himself in a slippery wicket. A day after Babu stated that hotlier and bar owner Biju Ramesh hadn't mentioned his name in the statement before a magistrate in connection with the bribery case, it has come out that the lalter had made specific mention that the minister had asked for Rs 10 crore to fix the bar licence fee. The preliminary enquiry report of the vigilance bureau revealed that as many as three witnesses had given statement supporting the allegation raised by Ramesh. Kerala Congress (M) supremo Mani fired another salvo on November 12, stating that evidence against excise minister K Babu was much more telling than those in the air against him. "FIR was registered against me on the basis of mere hearsay," Mani said. Mani added that "Biju Ramesh has said that he had handed over the money directly in the state secretariat. Nobody has said that they had handed over money to me." Opposition leader Achuthanandan and Biju Rmesh have decided to approach Kerala High Court, seeking a fresh probe into the allegations. Achuthanandan has already written a letter to the vigilance director, demanding further probe. Kerala: Code of Conduct for Party's Local Bodies Representatives THE CPI(M) Kerala state committee has decided to come out with a code of conduct for its newly-elected local bodies’ representatives. The aim is to make local governance more people-friendly, besides streamlining their functioning. This was disclosed by CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan after the two-day state committee and secretariat meetings. The Party is in the process of framing the code of conduct and it would be published soon. "The idea is to make all local bodies ruled by the LDF a model for local governance. This will also help streamlining their functioning," he said at a press conference at the CPI(M) state headquarters. Balakrishnan said people's participation would be given top priority while formulating development schemes and plans at the local level. The Party has directed the elected leaders to ensure maximum participation in grama sabhas. ‘Power to People‘ is the motto. Balakrishnan urged the representatives to use the opportunity to connect with the people directly and serve them better. The CPI(M) state secretary said top priority would be given to waste management, organic farming, and pain and palliative programmes, which will now be extended to more urban and rural bodies. Also improving infrastructure facilities in schools will be given priority. Organic farming would be taken up in a big way in LDF-ruled local bodies to check the flow of poisonous fruits and vegetables into markets across the state. For a new perspective of the development trajectory for the local bodies, an International Kerala Study Congress would be organised in Thiruvananthapuram by the AKG Study Centre in January. Based on that, the Party will come out with a development document, which would form a major part of the LDF manifesto in the Assembly elections next year. The Party was of the view that the LDF had put up a good performance in the polls, garnering 82,73,715 votes as compared to the 79,46,721 of the UDF. LDF got 3,26,994 votes more than UDF. whereas in the last assembly elections, UDF garnered 1,55,571 more votes than the LDF. While the LDF registered a voteshare of 41.98 per cent, the UDF’s voteshare was 40.26 per cent. The difference of two per cent between the two Fronts showed that the LDF was expanding its support base.