Kerala finance minister K.M. Mani is not happy with what he has. He has demanded an additional portfolio, inter-state river waters, from chief minister Oommen Chandy. The reason: Mr Mani is not able to force the Congress high command to give his son Jose K. Mani a berth in Union Cabinet.
Mr Mani’s demand is no more a secret, but both Mr Chandy and KC(M) vice-chairman P.C. George denied this indeed was the case. The fact is Mr Mani has one of the heaviest baskets of portfolios after the CM. Apart from the key portfolios of finance and law, Mr Mani holds the departments of national savings, stores purchase, commercial taxes, agricultural income-tax, treasuries, lotteries, local fund audit.
, Kerala state financial enterprises, state insurance, stamps and stamp duties, Kerala financial corporation and housing.