Kottayam: Prathichaya, the mouthpiece of Kerala Congress (M) has lashed out against the party's working chairman PJ Joseph in its daily. The article in the newspaper says that late party leader KM Mani breathed his last with a wounded heart.  

This new controversy has surfaced just after the party leaders witnessed a cold war with respect to the chairmanship following Mani's death. Kerala Congress (M)'s late leader Mani, one of India’s longest-serving legislators and representative of Pala constituency in Kottayam, passed away at a private hospital in Kochi on April 9. He was admitted to the hospital for respiratory-related illness in the first week of April.

Also read: KM Mani, India’s longest-serving legislator, dies in Kochi

The article written in the mouthpiece by editor Kurias Kumbalakuzhu said that everybody in the party was "jealous and scared" of Mani. In the article, he has said that everybody in the party tried to destroy Mani and after 50 years they succeeded as Mani's fall began since October 31, 2014, when the bar bribery case came to light.

The article also said Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala then had declared speedy investigation into the bar bribery case, but the party only tried to delay the probe.

It is also said in the article that those who loved Mani asked him to resign, claiming that they will also follow suit. Mani doubted if Joseph will agree to resign. Later, as predicted by Mani, Joseph didn't resign. The editor also added that real reason for Joseph's decision is incomprehensible. 

The article published in the newspaper is a chapter of the book 'Bar Kozha Satyavum Midhyayum' (Bar bribery - truth and myth). Kerala Congress (M) will publish the book soon.

Also read: VS Achuthanandan said Kerala government should agree to further investigate bar bribery case