THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  Kerala Finance Minister KM Mani (82), accused of bar bribery scandal, has offered to resign, as quoted by NDTV. Despite pressure from the opposition and within, the Congress-led United Democratic Front seemed unwilling to ask him to step down, after a preliminary meeting to discuss the matter earlier today. Kerala Congress (M) on Tuesday said it saw no reason for their leader to step down; a day after the high court cleared the decks for further investigation against him in the case.

The High Court had yesterday ordered that investigations into charges of bribery against KM Mani would continue. The court also observed that “Caesar’s wife should be above suspicion” leading to demands for the finance minister’s resignation. B Kamal Pasha said: “Caesar’s wife should be above suspicion. People will have anxiety about any further probe if the minister continues… I leave it to the conscience of the accused person whether to continue as a minister.”

Top leaders of the UDF – which is a seven-party coalition including Mr Mani’s Kerala Congress (M) – met at Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s house this morning to discuss the issue. Mr. Mani was not present at the meeting, with leaders from his party holding a separate meeting at his home and defending his right to continue in office. Communist Marxist Party President CP John, who attended the meeting at Mr. Chandy’s house, told, “mood in the UDF is not forcing KM Mani to resign.”

The Kerala Congress (M) chief KM Mani is a crucial ally of UDF with the party’s eight legislators making up the entire lead that the United Democratic Front has over its rival, the Left Democratic Front, in the assembly. The scandal surfaced last year after the state’s bar hotel owners association chief Biju Ramesh has alleged that Mr. Mani demanded and accepted a bribe to the tune of Rs. 1 crore  to renew liquor licenses of 418 bars which were shut down for being substandard.

The opposition has been demanding the finance minister’s resignation ever since the allegations surfaced in November 2014. Left Democratic Front lawmakers had also tried to prevent Mr. Mani from presenting the state’s Budget in March this year.