<p>Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala on Wednesday witnessed high political drama with Kerala Chief Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/pinarayi-vijayan">Pinarayi Vijayan</a> and other ministers keeping off from Prime Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/india/kerala/pm-modi-inaugurates-projects-worth-over-rs-10000-crore-lays-foundation-stone-for-infrastructure-in-kerala-3927637">Narendra Modi's programme in the state</a> by expressing displeasure over excluding public works minister P A Mohammed Riyas from the event.</p><p>Various development projects to the tune of Rs 10,800 crore inaugurated by the Prime Minister included the widened Thalapady-Chengala and Vengalam - Ramanattukara sections of the NH 66. Hence the CPI(M) wanted the participation of the state public works minister too.</p>.Political slugfest over Centre-state finances in Kerala.<p>The CPM leadership criticised that while the state public works minister was excluded from the event, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar was included. </p><p>CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan said that it was yet another instance of the discrimination that the BJP government at the centre was showing towards Kerala.</p><p>As a mark of protest, CPI(M) workers led by Riyas carried out a road show along the stretches ahead of the formal inauguration by the Prime Minister. </p><p>Apart from the Chief Minister, local administration minister M B Rajesh and electricity minister K Krishnan Kutty were invited to inauguration and commissioning of various projects by central government agencies. All of them kept off the event.</p>.Union Budget 2026: CPM, Congress intensify protest over 'neglect' towards Kerala.<p>M B Rajesh said that it was an insult to Kerala that the public works minister was not invited to the event.</p><p>The BJP state president said that the CPI(M) was trying to trigger a controversy ahead of the elections. He said that the protocol did not say that the Chief Minister's son-in-law (public works minister Mohammed Riyaz) or any other family members should be invited.</p><p>Meanwhile, Chandrasekhar was addressed only as former union minister of state in the inaugural programme.</p><p>The BJP-CPI(M) differences took place close on the heels of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleging BJP - CPI(M) nexus in Kerala. The CPI(M) should be renamed as 'CJP' owing to its understanding with the BJP, Rahul had said.</p>
<p>Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala on Wednesday witnessed high political drama with Kerala Chief Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/pinarayi-vijayan">Pinarayi Vijayan</a> and other ministers keeping off from Prime Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/india/kerala/pm-modi-inaugurates-projects-worth-over-rs-10000-crore-lays-foundation-stone-for-infrastructure-in-kerala-3927637">Narendra Modi's programme in the state</a> by expressing displeasure over excluding public works minister P A Mohammed Riyas from the event.</p><p>Various development projects to the tune of Rs 10,800 crore inaugurated by the Prime Minister included the widened Thalapady-Chengala and Vengalam - Ramanattukara sections of the NH 66. Hence the CPI(M) wanted the participation of the state public works minister too.</p>.Political slugfest over Centre-state finances in Kerala.<p>The CPM leadership criticised that while the state public works minister was excluded from the event, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar was included. </p><p>CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan said that it was yet another instance of the discrimination that the BJP government at the centre was showing towards Kerala.</p><p>As a mark of protest, CPI(M) workers led by Riyas carried out a road show along the stretches ahead of the formal inauguration by the Prime Minister. </p><p>Apart from the Chief Minister, local administration minister M B Rajesh and electricity minister K Krishnan Kutty were invited to inauguration and commissioning of various projects by central government agencies. All of them kept off the event.</p>.Union Budget 2026: CPM, Congress intensify protest over 'neglect' towards Kerala.<p>M B Rajesh said that it was an insult to Kerala that the public works minister was not invited to the event.</p><p>The BJP state president said that the CPI(M) was trying to trigger a controversy ahead of the elections. He said that the protocol did not say that the Chief Minister's son-in-law (public works minister Mohammed Riyaz) or any other family members should be invited.</p><p>Meanwhile, Chandrasekhar was addressed only as former union minister of state in the inaugural programme.</p><p>The BJP-CPI(M) differences took place close on the heels of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleging BJP - CPI(M) nexus in Kerala. The CPI(M) should be renamed as 'CJP' owing to its understanding with the BJP, Rahul had said.</p>