Sudheeran defends Mani, cautions Ajay Tharayil

Thiruvananthapuram: KPCC president V.M Sudheeran Thursday defended Finance Minister K.M Mani over the recent controversy related to the bar bribery scam.

The KPCC president, however, cautioned Congress leader Ajay Tharayil for his remarks over the budget presentation.

“The Chief Minister has already made it clear the government’s stand on the matter. The KPCC is of the same stand,” he told reporters.

Cautioning Ajay Tharayil for his statement, the KPCC president said the Congress leaders should refrain from making controversial remarks.

“I think, it’s better the Chief Minister to present the next budget in view of the controversy,” Ajay Tharayil had yesterday told a news channel.

While briefing the Cabinet decisions, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy Wednesday had said the government had full confidence in Mani and he would present state budget for 2015-16 in the coming Assembly session

The bar bribe scam, which pertains to graft allegation against Mani, levelled by Biju Ramesh, took a new twist with TV channels airing telephone tapes of the conversation between Pillai and Ramesh. Pillai was also heard making new corruption charges against Mani during the conversion.

Demanding the arrest of K.M Mani, Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan yesterday had said the Finance Minister's continuation in the cabinet was a 'great shame' to three crore people of Kerala.