Bar bribery case: BJP calls for Kerala shutdown on January 27, demanding resignation of KM Mani

KOCHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party has called for a Kerala hartal on January 27, demanding the resignation of finance minister KM Mani in the bar-bribery case. BJP's decision was announced by state president V Muralidharan after a meeting of the party on Thursday.

He said the party will unleash a major campaign against Mani who has allegedly accepted a bribe of Rs 1 crore from bar owners.

He said protest rallies will be organised in all panchayats in the state. Muralidharan was of the view that the investigation in the case should be handed over to central agencies as the state police would not be able to solve the case.

CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan said KM Mani has no right to be the finance minister of the state or to present the state budget. He said the chief minister Oommen Chandy should stop protecting the corrupt members in his Government.

According to him, the enquiry in the case should cover the other leaders of the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) who are involved in the case. CPI(M) polit bureau member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said that the party will also launch an agitation for the resignation of K M Mani.

Meanwhile, the state government suffered a setback when the Supreme Court upheld the Kerala High Court ruling to give bar licence to 10 more hotels in the state.