Kerala FM KM Mani spends night in Assembly building as precaution to timely budget presention today

KOCHI: It’s a battle of wits between the ruling Congress-led United Democratic Front and the CPM-led Left Democratic Front over the state budget with the latter out to prevent Finance Minister KM Mani from presenting the budget on Friday and the former taking all precautions to ensure that the Finance Minister’s job is completed without any hitch.

The government has already deployed a large police force to provide a safe passage for K M Mani to the assembly building in the morning. But the Finance Minister K M Mani and UDF MLAs have decided to stay overnight in the assembly building to overcome the challenges posed by the blockade of state secretariat announced by the Left Front and to reach the assembly hall in time.

Responding to rumours that K M Mani will remain in the assembly building after the session on Thursday, the opposition MLAs also chose to remain in the assembly. The opposition campaign against Mani inside the assembly will be led by V S Achuthanandan and Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.

The opposition MLAs are likely to block all five entrances to the assembly building. Earlier in the assembly opposition leader V S Achuthanandan said that “Mani who took a bribe should not be allowed to present the budget”.

The Finance Minister had earlier told reporters that he has no plans to remain in the assembly building. “I will come from my residence to present the budget”, he said. However, decision is likely to change considering the agitation in the city streets.

Thousands of Left Front activists are expected to reach the city by Friday morning to make the blockade a success. The LDF has not divulged the details of its strategy for organizing the agitation.

Opposition parties have been asking for the resignation of K M Mani after a bar hotel owner alleged that the finance minister had taken a bribe from him to get the bars reopened. Meanwhile, in a letter to the Governor P Sathasivam Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said K M Mani will present the budget.

The Yuva Morcha members have also announced that the Finance Minister will be prevented from presenting the budget. Some of the Yuva Morcha workers have already reached the area by Thursday evening.