K. M. Mani
Karingozhakkal Mani Mani (30 January 1933 – 9 April 2019) was an Indian politician and the chairman of
Kerala Congress (M), one of the main factions of
Kerala Congress, a party born in the Travancore or Central South Kerala region who focused on the interest of Kerala state's Christian farmers. He holds the records of having presented the maximum number of
budgets(thirteen) in the
Kerala Legislative Assembly as Finance Minister and also as the longest-serving member of Kerala Assembly. He holds the distinction of having been the longest-serving minister in the
Government of Kerala to date and for having continuously represented
Palalegislative constituency since its inception in 1964 until his death in 2019.
| K. M. Mani |
|
| Minister of Finance and Law |
In office
May 2011 – 10 November 2015 |
| Preceded by | Thomas Isaac (Finance), M. Vijayakumar (Law) |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Issac(Finance),A.K. Balan(Law) |
| M. L. A. of Kerala Assembly |
In office
1965 – 9 April 2019 |
| Minister of Revenue and Law |
In office
May 2001 – May 2006 |
| Preceded by | K. E. Ismail |
| Succeeded by | K. P. Rajendran (Revenue),M. Vijayakumar (Law) |
| Minister of Revenue and Law |
In office
June 1991 – May 1996 |
| Preceded by | P. S. Sreenivasan |
| Succeeded by | K. E. Ismail |
| Minister of Revenue and Law |
In office
1987–1987 |
| Minister of Irrigation and Law |
In office
1987–1987 |
| Preceded by | M. P. Gangadharan |
| Succeeded by | Baby John |
| Minister of Finance and Law |
In office
December 1981 – May 1986 |
| Preceded by | Himself |
| Succeeded by | Thachady Prabhakaran |
| Minister of Finance and Law |
In office
January 1980 – October 1981 |
| Preceded by | N. Bhaskaran Nair |
| Succeeded by | Himself |
| Minister of Home Affairs |
In office
April 1977 – July 1979 |
| Preceded by | K. Karunakaran |
| Succeeded by | T. K. Ramakrishnan |
| Minister of Finance |
In office
December 1975 – March 1977 |
| Preceded by | K. G. Adiyodi |
| Succeeded by | M. K. Hemachandran |
| Kottayam D. |
| Personal details |
| Born | 30 January 1933 |
| Died | 9 April 2019 (aged 86)
Kochi |
| Political party | Kerala Congress (M) |
| Spouse(s) | Kuttiyamma |
| Children | Five daughters - Elsa, Annie,Sally, Tessy and Smitha and one son, Jose K. Mani. |
| Residence | Pala, Kottayam, Kerala |
| As of 31 August, 2016 |
His initiative of the Karunya Lottery Benevolent Scheme claims financial help of Rs. 1400 crores for nearly one lakh fifty thousand poor patients. He introduced pension for farmers and widows in Kerala. His Theory of the Toiling Class was presented in the British Parliament. Based on Kerala High court's comments on Mani's involvement in Kerala BAR license scam and bribery case, he had to resign from the post of Finance minister of Kerala on 10 November 2015. He died on 9 April 2019 in Lakeshore Hospital Kochi due to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or
COPD.
[1][2]
Early life
He was born to Thomas Mani and Aliyamma. He started his political career by being the Congress president of
Marangattupilly ward. He was married to Congress veteran
P. T. Chacko's cousin, Kuttiyamma, and has six children: five daughters—Elsa, Annie, Sally, Tessy and Smitha—and one son,
Jose K. Mani.
[3]
Political career
Mani practiced as a lawyer before entering into politics as an active member of Indian National Congress. He served as the Kottayam DCC (District Congress Committee) Secretary from 1960 till 1964 when a few leaders in Congress veteran
P. T. Chacko's camp in the state Congress led by
K. M. George (politician) parted ways with the parent party and formed the
Kerala Congress. He was elected to Kerala Legislative Assembly for the first time in 1965 from the
Palai Assembly Constituency (now PALA) Constituency of
Kottayam district, and since then he won all the twelve elections that followed in 1967, 1970, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1987, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016. He was minister for Home Affairs (April 1977 to September 1978 and again from October 1978 to July 1979), Finance and Law (January 1980 - October 1981, December 1981-March 1982 and again from May 1982-March 1982-March 1986), Irrigation and law(1987), Revenue and Law(1987), Revenue and Law (June 1991 to March 1996), Revenue and Law(2001 to 2006). He has never lost an election to the Legislative Assembly.
[4]
He lost the Chief Minister post of Kerala in 1979 when P. K. Vasudevan Nair resigned. Then
C. H. Mohammed Koyabecame Chief Minister and after two months Mani withdrew his party's support on that government and Koya resigned. Now Mani got another chance to become the Chief Minister, but with the interference of Congress party the Assembly was dissolved in favor of all those who did not wish him to become the Chief Minister.
[citation needed]
Mani was not among the founders of Kerala Congress. In the faction-ridden Kerala Congress, Mani is accused by political foes as having engineered many a split in the party.
[citation needed]
In a public function organized at Ramapuram, Palai on October 2009, M. M. Jacob, senior Congress leader, and former Meghalaya Governor said that he advised Mani in 1965 to contest in the Congress party label and if it was done Mani would have become the Chief Minister very early. Again he said that now Mani is fully eligible for the post of Chief Minister.
[citation needed]
In 2009, Mani got the P. R. Francis award for the best social worker of Kerala. After presenting the award to Mani in a function organized at Thrissur, Congress leader Oommen Chandy invited him to Congress party. But Mani rejected.
[citation needed]
On 2 November 2009, P. C. George faction of the Kerala Congress decided to merge with Kerala Congress (M). This was a major breakthrough in Kerala politics since George abused and criticized Mani for many years.
[citation needed]
On 30 April 2010,
P. J. Joseph resigned his ministerial post and declared that his Kerala Congress is going to merge with Kerala Congress (M). Political analysts have estimated that this decision will help Kerala Congress to sweep almost all the assembly seats in Central Travancore region and will create a new diversion in Kerala politics.
[6]
On 13 May 2011, Mani recorded his 12th consecutive victory from his home constituency of Palai by defeating the Left front candidate Mani C. Kappen by a lead of 5,500 votes.
[citation needed]
On 10 Nov 2015, Mani was pulled down from the position as Minister of Finance and Law Kerala state, as he was accused of being a part of bar bribery scam. He was the Chairman of the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers on Goods and Services Tax (GST). Based on Kerala High court's comments on Mani's involvement in Kerala BAR license scam and bribery case, he resigned from the post of Finance minister on 10 November 2015, after a lot of heated political debate. The resignation has come after a day-long political turmoil in Kerala capital.
Literary works
He is the author of
Fiscal Problems of Kerala – Causes and Remedial Measures,
The People's Socialism, and
The Eighth Five Year Plan – An alternative approach. He presented paper on
India and Globalisation: Asian Economic Community – Need of the Day at the National Seminar held in
New Delhi on 22nd December, 1994
[7]
