Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and several ministers skipped Prime Minister Modi’s event, citing political tensions over the exclusion of Minister Riyas.
Kerala CM and Ministers Skip PM Modi Event Amid Political Controversy
“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 Public Works Department Minister of Kerala, as he addressed the media following the notable absence of Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and several ministers at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official event in Kochi.
The event, which took place on March 11, 2026, was marked by the inauguration of various development projects, including the six-lane expansion of National Highway 66. However, it was overshadowed by a political row regarding Riyas’s exclusion from the guest list.
Riyas expressed his discontent, claiming he had not been officially invited, which he interpreted as a politically motivated decision. His sentiments were echoed by General Education Minister V Sivankutty, who described the exclusion as “shocking” and “politically motivated”.
State Ministers M B Rajesh and K Krishnankutty also opted not to attend the event, with Rajesh stating, “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.” This further fueled speculation about the political implications of their absence.
The controversy arises in the context of a broader political landscape in Kerala, where the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government has been in power since 2016, reviving the National Highway development project after years of stagnation.
BJP leaders responded to the situation by asserting that the Chief Minister was invited in accordance with protocol, emphasizing that Riyas’s exclusion was unnecessary. Rajeev Chandrasekhar, a BJP leader, remarked, “As head of the state, the CM was invited in accordance with the protocol.”
Additionally, BJP leader B Gopalakrishnan alleged that the state government was attempting to consolidate Muslim votes by boycotting the Prime Minister’s event, further complicating the political narrative.
The projects inaugurated during the event included the Thalappady-Chengala stretch of NH 66 and the Vengalam-Ramanattukara stretch of the Kozhikode bypass, highlighting the ongoing infrastructure development in the state.
Kerala has been recognized as the first state in India where the state government directly invested in national highway development, a move that underscores the significance of these projects for local governance and development.
As the political fallout continues, further developments are anticipated regarding the implications of this event on Kerala’s political landscape. Details remain unconfirmed.
