Kerala CM Vijayan And Two Ministers Skip PM Modi's Kochi Event Over Protocol Row

A political row has erupted in Kerala after Pinarayi Vijayan and his cabinet colleagues decided to boycott an official event of Narendra Modi scheduled in Kochi on Wednesday. The Prime Minister is set to inaugurate several development projects, including key highway and railway initiatives in the state.

According to the chief minister's office, Vijayan and ministers M. B. Rajesh and K. Krishnankutty will not attend the function. The decision comes after Kerala Public Works Minister P. A. Mohammed Riyas was reportedly not included among the invitees for the event. Riyas is also Vijayan’s son-in-law.

The controversy intensified after Rajeev Chandrasekhar was listed as an invitee alongside Union ministers. Chandrasekhar criticised the boycott, alleging that the Chief Minister’s decision was politically motivated ahead of the state Assembly elections. He also questioned whether there was any rule requiring members of the Chief Minister’s family to be invited to official government events.

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State ministers from the ruling left government argued that the presence of BJP leaders at the function indicated that the event was being used for political campaigning. The political tension comes at a time when infrastructure projects are expected to play a major role in the upcoming elections in the state.

During the visit, Modi will inaugurate two major stretches of National Highway 66 — the Thalappady–Chengala and Vengalam–Ramanattukara sections. He will also launch several railway projects and lay the foundation stone for a 50-megawatt floating solar power project at West Kallada in the Kollam district.

The highway project has been highlighted by the Kerala government as a major achievement, with the state claiming it spent around ₹5,000 crore on land acquisition for the expansion. After the official events, the Prime Minister is also scheduled to address a convention of the National Democratic Alliance as part of the alliance’s campaign activities in Kerala. Modi’s visit marks his second trip to the state in the past three months, reflecting the growing political focus on Kerala ahead of the Assembly elections.

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