| K. M. Mani | |
|---|---|
| Sri. K.M. Mani, M.L.A. of Kerala Legislative Assembly | |
| Minister of Finance, Law and Housing of Kerala | |
| In office 2011 – Incumbent |
|
| Preceded by | Dr. Thomas Isaac (Finance), M. Vijayakumar (Law) |
| Succeeded by | [1] |
| M. L. A. of Kerala Assembly | |
| In office 1965 – Incumbent |
|
| Minister of Revenue and Law | |
| In office 2001–2006 |
|
| Preceded by | K. E. Ismail |
| Succeeded by | K. P. Rajendran (Revenue), M. Vijayakumar (Law) |
| Minister of Revenue and Law | |
| In office June 1991 – March 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. C. C. Secretary of Indian National Congress | |
| In office 1960–1965 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 30, 1933 Marangattupally, Palai |
| Political party | Kerala Congress (M) |
| Spouse(s) | Kuttiyamma |
| Children | One son and five daughters |
| Residence | Palai, Kerala |
| Religion | Christian -Roman Catholic Syro Malabar |
| Website | http://www.keralacongress.info |
| As of March 11, 2010 Source: [1] |
|
Karingozhakkal Mani Mani (K. M. Mani) is a veteran Indian politician and the leader of Kerala Congress (M), one of the factions of the Kerala Congress. He holds the records of having presented the maximum number of eight budgets 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 from Palai legislative constituency since its inception.[2] He is the MLA of Palai Legislative constituency for the last 45 years beginning from 1965. He is known for his political tactics as comparable to veteran politician K. Karunakaran. He lost the Chief Minister post of Kerala in 1979 twixt cup and lip. Mani is regarded as the 'God Father' of all factions of Kerala Congress parties in the state.
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He was born to Thomas Mani and Aleyamma Mani in 1933 in a Syriac Catholic Christian family at Marangattupilly village in Kottayam district of Kerala and is married to Kuttiyamma. They have a son, five daughters, and thirteen grandkids. His son Jose K Mani, contested unsuccessfully from the Muvattupuzha parliament constituency in 2004.Later in 2009 Jose K Mani was elected as the MP of Kottayam parliament constituency by defeating sitting MP Suresh Kurup of LDF. He is married to Nisha Jose. Mani practiced as a lawyer before entering politics as an active member of the Indian National Congress. He studied in Kuravilangad St. Mary's High School and in Palai St. Thomas HS, Marangattupilly. He was interested in elocution from a young age and participated in elocution competitions. He started his political career by being the Congress president of Marangattupilly ward. He married Kuttiyamma when he was a Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee member.
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 the formation of Kerala Congress in 1964. 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 ten elections that followed in 1967, 1970, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1987, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006 and 2011. 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 twixt cup and lip when P K Vasudevan Nair resigned. Then C. H. Mohammed Koya became Chief Minister and after 2 months Mani withdrew his party's support on that government and C. H. resigned. Again Mani got a 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.
In the faction ridden Kerala Congress, Mani is accused by political foes as having engineered many a split in the party. He is also famous for describing the Kerala Congress as a party "which splits as it grows and grows as it splits".
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.[3]
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.[4]
On November 2, 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.[5]
On 30 April 20, 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 May 13, 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.
As finance minister of Kerala state, he initiated a lot of reforms that uplifted farmers of the state. When he was the electricity minister, he introduced 'Light Revolution' which brought electricity to a massive number of households. He did a lot for the development of Kottayam and Idukki districts. He advocates 'toiling class' theory which is for the liberation and upliftment of lower middle class through progressive reforms and taxation policy. His 'toiling class' theory negates 'class struggle' whereas it stands for 'class collaboration' According to Mani, 'toiling class' theory is an alternative to socialism and capitalism. In a recent seminar organized by Centre for Reform and Research, he stated that "left parties cannot resist global changes".[7]
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.[8]