Vizhinjam seaport: Port important, not who will build it, says Kerala CM Oomen Chandy

NEW DELHI: Kerala chief minister Oomen Chandy has brushed aside criticism on the award of the Vizhinjam seaport project to the Adani group. Who would execute the project was not important as the state was in danger of losing the port to Tamil Nadu in case of a delay, he said.

Shipping minister Nitin Gadkari had warned the state government last week that the Centre would shift the port to Colachel in neighbouring Tamil Nadu if the state government ‘continued to dilly dally’. This was after an all party meeting in Kerala failed to endorse award of contract to the Adani group. The group has often been criticised by the Congress for its alleged proximity to the Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre.

“This is not about Adani. We are not for Adani. We are for Vizhinjam,” Chandy said. “It is a dream project for Kerala. There is only one question before us — whether we want Vizhinjam project or not. If we don’t take a decision now, the project will move to Colachel in Tamil Nadu, which is just a few km away from Vizhinjam,” Chandy told ET.

Chandy, one of the nine Congress chief ministers, also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was right on the importance of the land bill even as he pointed out his differences with the proposed law.