VS Achuthanandan calls for probe into Vizhinjam port contract

Thiruvananthapuram: Senior CPM leader and Administrative Reforms Committee Chairman V.S. Achuthanandan has demanded a probe into the construction contract of Vizhinjam seaport project given to the Adani Group by the previous UDF government.  Ports Minister Ramachandran Kadannapally, however, remained non-committal on the issue. Mr Achuthanandan, through a submission in the Assembly on Tuesday,  alleged that former chief minister Oommen Chandy and his aides, who benefited from the project, had  looted the state.

Protesting against his remark, Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala said  that the allegation was baseless and demanded its removal  from the Assembly records. Deputy Speaker V. Sasi, who was in the chair, assured the House that the matter would be looked into. Though Mr Chandy wanted to know the government  stand on the issue, Mr Ramachandran said that  Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had already made it clear. 

Mr Vijayan  was not present in the House at the time.  He  had told the Assembly on Monday that the LDF government had been forced to go ahead with the agreement signed by the previous UDF government on the Vizhinjam port  though a lot of concerns had not been addressed. Mr Ramachandran said that the final CAG report was yet to come. Only the draft report prepared by the AG has been submitted to the government.