Skip: Kerala CM and Ministers PM Modi Event Amid Political Row
Political Tensions Rise
“I had not received any official communication inviting him to the function and termed the move ‘political’ and ‘not befitting a democracy’,” stated P A Mohammed Riyas, Kerala’s Public Works Department Minister, regarding the absence of state officials at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent event in Kochi.
On March 11, 2026, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and several ministers, including Riyas, skipped the official event where Modi inaugurated various development projects, notably the six-lane expansion of National Highway 66. This absence comes amid a political row concerning Riyas’s exclusion from the guest list.
Riyas expressed his discontent, emphasizing that he had not been formally invited to the function. His remarks reflect a broader sentiment among the Left Democratic Front (LDF) members, who view the exclusion as politically motivated.
State Ministers M B Rajesh and K Krishnankutty also did not attend, citing prior commitments. Rajesh remarked, “I am not attending the PM’s programme. Yesterday, I came to know that my name was included in the list. I already have scheduled programmes in my constituency.”
General Education Minister V Sivankutty called Riyas’s exclusion “shocking” and suggested it was politically motivated. This situation has intensified scrutiny of the BJP’s approach in Kerala, where they have been accused of attempting to consolidate Muslim votes by excluding key state figures from significant events.
BJP leaders, however, defended their actions, asserting that the Chief Minister was invited according to protocol. Rajeev Chandrasekhar, a BJP leader, stated, “As head of the state, the CM was invited in accordance with the protocol.”
The National Highway development project, which includes the Thalappady-Chengala stretch and the Vengalam-Ramanattukara stretch of the Kozhikode bypass, was revived after the LDF government took office in 2016, highlighting the significance of this event for Kerala’s infrastructure.
Kerala was the first state in India to directly allocate funds for national highway development, marking a pivotal moment in the state’s governance and infrastructure strategy.
As the political fallout continues, further developments are anticipated regarding the relationship between the state government and the central administration.
