Skip: Kerala CM and Ministers PM Modi Event Amid Political Tensions
Kerala CM and Ministers Skip PM Modi Event
“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, the state’s Public Works Department Minister, regarding his absence from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official event in Kochi on March 11, 2026.
The event, which saw the inauguration of various development projects including the six-lane expansion of National Highway 66, was marked by political tensions surrounding Riyas’s exclusion. Alongside him, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other ministers, including M B Rajesh and K Krishnankutty, also opted not to attend, citing personal reasons.
Riyas’s absence has been a focal point of controversy, as he claimed he had not received any official invitation to the function. His comments reflect a broader sentiment among some state officials who view the exclusion as politically motivated.
General Education Minister V Sivankutty echoed this sentiment, calling the exclusion of Riyas “shocking” and “politically motivated”. This incident comes amid ongoing political dynamics in Kerala, where the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government has been at odds with the central BJP government.
BJP leaders, however, defended the invitation process, asserting that the Chief Minister was invited according to protocol and that the exclusion of Riyas was unnecessary. Rajeev Chandrasekhar, a BJP leader, remarked, “As head of the state, the CM was invited in accordance with the protocol.”
Adding to the political narrative, BJP leader B Gopalakrishnan alleged that the state government was attempting to consolidate Muslim votes by boycotting the Prime Minister’s event.
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 came to power in 2016, marking a significant investment in infrastructure by the state government.
Kerala has been noted as the first state in India where the state government directly funded national highway development, showcasing its commitment to infrastructure improvements.
As the political landscape continues to evolve, further developments regarding the fallout from this event are anticipated. Details remain unconfirmed regarding any official responses from the state government following the Prime Minister’s address.
