|
Kerala
legislator readies for 12th victory
Tuesday April 05, 2011 01:43:54 PM,
Sanu George, IANS
|
|
Palai (Kerala): If
there's one man that Kerala politicians - existing and aspiring -
would like to emulate, it is opposition legislator K.M. Mani, who
has been contesting assembly polls since 1965 and is yet to taste
defeat. Mani is hoping to register his 12th successive win from the
same old constituency, Palai, in Kottayam district. He is the leader
of the Kerala Congress-Mani, which is third largest ally of the
Congress-led United Democratic Front.
His party is contesting 15 seats in the April 13 assembly polls and
Mani himself is confident of winning comfortably.
"My campaign has begun and I have allotted just four days of
campaigning to my own constituency. I have been told by my
electorate that I can spend more time in other constituencies. I
have absolute faith in my voters who have been part and parcel of my
life for close to half a century," said Mani.
Palai has seen just Mani as its legislator since the time it came
into being as a constituency in 1965.
Even though he won in 1965, the assembly was never constituted that
year as no party could get a majority to form the government. So
Mani's career as a legislator actually began when he won in 1967,
from Palai, of course.
After that it has been records galore for the now 78-year-old
veteran who has also been in a minister's chair for the longest
time, with his different terms adding up to 20 years.
He is also the only finance minister in the state who has presented
a record eight budgets, not to mention the only legislator to
represent the same constituency for so many years.
Political observers say what can bring cheer to his opponent, Mani
C. Kappen of the Nationalist Congress Party, who had taken him on in
the 2006 polls as well, is the hope of reducing Mani's victory
margin.
In the 2006 polls, Mani defeated Kappen by a margin of 7,759 votes.
Mani's biggest margin of victory was in the 1996 polls which he won
with 23,790 votes and his least was in 1970 when he won by just 364
votes. Mani's only son Jose K. Mani is the Lok Sabha member from
Kottayam.
Kerala goes to the polls April 13 to elect 140 new legislators.
|
|
Home |
Top of the Page |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Top
Stories |
|
Indian
cricketers return to their homes to grand welcome
India cricketers Monday got a rapturous
welcome as they returned to their hometowns even as cash prizes
continue to flow in following their World Cup
»
ICC says
original World Cup trophy presented to India
'World Cup replica with Indian team; Original
with customs'
|
|
|
|
Most
Read |
|
 2G
scam: Tata 'candid', Radia 'evasive' before PAC
Tata Group
chairman Ratan Tata and corporate lobbyist Niira Radia were Monday
questioned by parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in its
search of the
»
Raja, 11
others formally charged in 2G spectrum case |
|
Anna
Hazare reaches Rajghat, hundreds join in support
Veteran
social activist Anna Hazare, who has vowed to fast unto death,
Tuesday reached Mahatma Gandhi's memorial at Rajghat to press for a
stronger anti-graft Lokpal Bill through greater involvement
»
PM
'deeply disappointed' at Hazare's decision to start fast
|
|
|
|
News Pick |
|
Media
ignored Senate hearing on civil rights of American Muslims
On March 29, Democratic Senator Dick
Durbin held the first-ever Congressional hearing on the civil
rights of American Muslims by saying a "backlash" which began
after the attacks
» |
|
Kashmiri
boy held under stringent law to be released
A long wait has
ended for Rafiq Hakeem, father of teenaged Kashmiri boy Faizan Rafiq
lodged in a jail in Jammu region under the stringent Public Safety
Act for stone pelting. The Jammu and Kashmir government Monday
» |
|
10
protesters shot dead in Yemen
Police shot
dead at least 10 anti-government protesters Monday in Yemen's
southern province of Taiz, Xinhua quoted local doctors as saying.
However, a police official said only two protesters
»
Yemen
opposition tells Saleh to quit, presents new plan |
|
Election
2011 begins peacefully with Assam, 66 percent turnout
Elections to five assemblies, the
biggest vote since the 2009 general polls, began Monday with the
first phase being held in Assam where more than 66 percent
»
Stage set
for Assam first phase elections
|
|
Seventeen
foetuses found in Bihar, probe ordered
Sixteen
foetuses, mostly female, were found in plastic jars in Bihar's Kishanganj district while another was recovered near a garbage heap
in Muzaffarpur town, police said Monday. The state government has
ordered a probe
»
|
|
|
|
Picture of the Day |
|
 |
|
A sand art
creation to congratulate Team India for winning the CWC 2011
final, in Puri.
(Photo: PTI) |
|
|
|
|
Comments
|
Quick links