Vizhinjam invite came only after exclusion became controversy: VD Satheesan

Kottayam: Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan, stated on Wednesday that he was invited to the commissioning of the Vizhinjam International Port only after his exclusion from the event sparked controversy.

Speaking to PTI, the Congress leader revealed that following the uproar over his exclusion, he received a letter from State Ports Minister V N Vasavan.

As the row over Satheesan's exclusion intensified on Tuesday, Vasavan had said that an invitation on his official letterhead had been extended to the opposition leader.

Satheesan claimed that the letter "did not state why I was being invited and whether I am just an invitee or a participant in the programme".

"There was not even a programme notice along with the letter," he claimed.

V D Satheesan also dismissed the state minister's claim that his exclusion was due to the commissioning being part of the government's fourth-anniversary celebrations, which the opposition had chosen to boycott.

"The commissioning is not part of the government's 4th anniversary celebrations. If it is, why is the Prime Minister coming for it? Are the BJP and CPI(M) celebrating the anniversary together? So, it is clear to everyone that was not the reason," Satheesan contended.

He remarked that extending an invitation to him was a matter of the government's sense of propriety. He further alleged that his exclusion was "deliberate", as the authorities feared he might reveal some unpleasant yet truthful details about the port's background.

"I do not have a problem with myself not being invited. It is their (the government's) prerogative whether to invite me or not. The public is seeing all this," he added.

On Tuesday, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief K. Sudhakaran alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's invitation to the Vizhinjam International Port commissioning, while excluding the state opposition leader, was part of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's strategy to curry favour with the BJP. Sudhakaran claimed this move was aimed at shielding Vijayan's daughter from a pending illegal payment case.

Sudhakaran also urged the LDF government to name the port after former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, whom he credited as the true architect of the Vizhinjam project.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to dedicate the transshipment port to the nation on May 2. Developed by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ), India's largest port developer and part of the Adani Group, the deep-water port was built under a public-private partnership model at an estimated cost of ₹8,867 crore.

The port received its commercial commissioning certificate on December 4 last year after successfully completing its trial run. It is expected to become fully operational by 2028, following the completion of its second, third, and fourth phases.

(inputs from PTI)