Thiruvananthapuram: Opposition Leader V. S. Achuthanandan told Adani Ports chairman Gautam Adani that the Left Democratic Front would not cooperate with the Vizhinjam project until the opposition’s apprehensions were addressed.
Mr Achuthanandan made his mind clear during a meeting with Mr Adani who reached the capital city to ink the port deal with the state government.
He said the Opposition was not against the project, but would not cooperate with it at this point of time.
“Mr Adani has agreed to look into our apprehensions,” Mr Achuthanandan said. Mr Adani told reporters that it was a formal meeting.
The meeting also created a controversy due to the presence of tainted middleman T. G. Nandakumar alias Dallal Kumar who received Mr Adani at the Cantonment House, the Opposition Leader’s official residence.
Mr Nandakumar was also present when the two held talks. Mr Achuthanandan told reporters that it was Mr Adani who invited Mr Nandakumar.
“I did not have any role in it,” he said. Mr Nandakumar later told reporters that he attended the meeting as a friend of Mr Adani.
Mr Adani also held discussions with BJP state president V. Muraleedharan and Anglo-Indian MP in the parliament, Richard Hay.
Before the signing ceremony, he also met Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in his office in the presence of ministers K. Babu and V. S. Sivakumar.
