Congress alleges exclusion of LoP from Vizhinjam Port event, Kerala govt rejects charge

Thiruvananthapuram | The Congress on Tuesday alleged that Leader of Opposition in the Kerala assembly V D Satheesan was excluded from the list of invitees for the commissioning of the Vizhinjam International Port, prompting a sharp rebuttal from the Left government.

The controversy erupted after sections of the media reported that Satheesan had not been invited to the high-profile event scheduled for May 2, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to dedicate the transshipment port to the nation.

Citing government sources, reports claimed that Satheesan was not invited because the port’s commissioning was part of the LDF government's fourth anniversary celebrations, which the UDF opposition had already decided to boycott.

As the row intensified, State Ports Minister V N Vasavan clarified that Satheesan had, in fact, been extended an invitation on the minister’s official letterhead.

Earlier in the day, KPCC chief K Sudhakaran slammed the LDF government, stating that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had “humiliated himself” by initially excluding the Opposition Leader from the event.

Sudhakaran alleged that the joint celebration by the Left and the BJP had failed after the opposition exposed the government’s intentions.

In a statement, Sudhakaran further alleged that inviting PM Modi while excluding the state opposition leader was part of Vijayan's strategy to curry favour with the BJP in order to shield his daughter from a pending illegal payment case.

He claimed that the "red carpet" was rolled out for the Prime Minister as a follow-up to Vijayan’s recent meeting with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at Kerala House in New Delhi and his scheduled meeting with governors appointed by the BJP government.

Sudhakaran said the government had been forced to backtrack after its motives were exposed.

He also urged the LDF government to name the port after former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, calling him the true architect of the Vizhinjam project.

"It is only the CPI(M) that can now project Vizhinjam as Vijayan’s achievement, after having levelled multiple allegations when the project was initiated during Chandy’s tenure," he said.

Meanwhile, when asked about the controversy, Vasavan told reporters in Kottayam that Satheesan had been invited.

"Who said he wasn’t invited? I have sent the invitation. PM Modi is commissioning the port on May 2. We have received the confirmation. Invitations have been sent to everyone, including the Opposition Leader," he said.

The State Minister also clarified that it is the Prime Minister’s Office that decides who will participate in the event, who will be seated on stage, and how much time will be allotted to each speaker.