Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has written to the PMO with a request to invite Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala, local legislator P.T. Thomas and Metro Man E. Sreedharan to the inaugural function of Kochi Metro on Saturday.
The PMO had earlier struck off their names from the list. The Congress leaders also wanted Mr Sreedharan on the dais. Besides Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union urban development minister Venkaiah Naidu, Governor P. Sathasivam, Mr Vijayan, Kerala transport minister Thomas Chandy and Kochi Mayor Soumini Jain will be on the dais.
At the same time, apart from Mr Chennithala, Ernakulam MP K. V. Thomas, legislators P. T. Thomas and Hibi Eden and Kochi Metro Rail Ltd managing director Elias George also did not get a place on the dais.
Sources told DC that KMRL had sent a list of 17 to the PMO. But they limited it to seven as insisted by the Special Protection Group. Chief secretary Nalini Netto, ministers E. Chandrasekharan, Mathew T. Thomas and Ramachandran Kadannappally and urban secretary Rajeev Guha were also on the Kerala list.
Also, only PM Modi and Venkaiah Naidu will address while Mr George will welcome the gathering.
The Union and the state governments have equal equity participation in the company. Meanwhile, Mr Sreedharan said here that there was nothing unusual and he would be attending it.
Mr Chennithala, while condemning the omission, said the UDF had no plan to boycott the function. P.T Thomas MLA said Centre’s decision to avoid Ramesh Chennithala and E. Sreedharan from the dais can’t be justified.
After the inaugural function at the Nehru International Stadium, Kaloor, at 11 am, Mr Modi along with Mr Naidu, Mr Vijayan, Mr Sreedharan, Mr Thomas and Mr George will take a ride on the metro.
