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Biography
Karingozhakkal Mani Mani (well known as "മാണിസാർ" or "Maani Sir") is an Indian veteran politician and the leader of Kerala Congress (M), one of the main factions of the Kerala Congress, a party born in Central Travancore or Central South Kerala region focusing on the interest of Kerala 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 being the longest-serving minister in the Government of Kerala and having continuously represented Pala legislative constituency since its inception in 1965. His initiative of Karunya Lottery Benovelent Scheme provided financial help of Rs. 1400 crores for nearly one lakh fifty thousand poor patients. He was the first person to introduce pension for farmers and widows in India, something which is not heard of anywhere else in the world. His Theory of the Toiling Class was presented in the British Parliament. Based on Kerala High court's comments on Mani's alleged 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.
Early life
He was born to Sri. Thomas Mani and Smt. Aliyamma. He started his political career by being the Congress president of Marangattupilly ward. He is married to Congress veteran P. T. Chacko's cousin, Kuttiyamma, and has six children - five daughters and one son - Jose K. Mani, who was elected as a member of Parliament to Lok Sabha from Kottayam in 2009 and 2014.
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.
He lost the Chief Minister post of Kerala in 1979 when P. K. Vasudevan Nair resigned. Then C. H. Mohammed Koya became 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 favour of all those who did not wish him to become the Chief Minister.
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.
In his tenure as being a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), he is second only to K. R. Gowri Amma.
In a public function organised 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.
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 organised at Thrissur, Congress leader Oommen Chandy invited him to Congress party. But Mani rejected.
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 the Kerala politics since George abused and criticised Mani for many years.
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.
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.
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 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 is 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 alleged 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.