After being denied 4 times in a row, Kerala CM finally to meet PM Modi

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will lead an all-party delegation that will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday and discuss various issues concerning the state.

The issues likely to be raised include increasing the state's ration share, besides the much-delayed projects like Palakkad Coach Factory, Sabari rail line and also the after-effects in the event of implementation of the Kasturirangan report, Vijayan's office told the media on Wednesday.

The delegation will include Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, state Congress chief MM Hassan, besides Kerala Ministers K. Ramachandran, G Sudhakaran, and former state BJP chief PK Krishnadas, who will be joined by Lok Sabha MP ET Mohammed Basheer (IUML) and Rajya Sabha MP Jose K. Mani (Kerala Congress-Mani) from Delhi.

The delegation will leave for Delhi later on Wednesday.

In June, Vijayan had expressed his strong displeasure at the manner in which his earlier requests to meet Modi were turned down.

On June 21, Pinarayi was denied an appointment to meet PM Modi for the fourth time in a row, after the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) refused to give permission.

The CM, along with an all-party delegation, had sought to discuss the disparities in allocation of ration to the state. However, the PMO reportedly directed them to meet Food and Public Distribution Minister Ram Vilas Paswan if needed.

"The appointment was sought to meet the Prime Minister, not Ram Vilas Paswan. CM will not agree for this," a source in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) told TNM.

Prior to this, an appointment to meet PM Modi on June 16 was not granted.

An earlier appointment sought on March 20 to discuss budget allocation to the state, was also turned down by the PMO.

Last year, on November 24, when the CM sought to discuss the central government’s demonetisation move with PM Modi, appointment was not given.

With IANS inputs