Govt boycotts PM event over exclusion of PWD Minister Riyas; several projects open
In the run-up to the Assembly election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to inaugurate development projects triggered a political row in Kerala. The Left Democratic Front government in Kerala on Wednesday, March 11, boycotted the official inauguration of various projects by the PM in Kochi as a protest for excluding state Public Works Minister P A Mohammed Riyas from the function. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Cabinet ministers abstained from the event in Kochi. The Prime Minister reached Kerala at 12 pm to inaugurate development projects worth Rs 10,800 crore, including two completed national highway stretches, Thalappadi-Chengala and the Kozhikode bypass.While the PM inaugurated the project in Kochi, state PWD minister Riyas conducted a road show at Kozhikode bypass from Vengalam to Ramanattukara to highlight the state's role in national highway development. Riyas said that it was not a parallel inauguration, but a symbolic protest. However, a parallel inauguration of the NH, led by CH Kunhambu, a Community Party of India (Marxist) MLA, was held in Kasargode, minutes before the official inauguration by the PM. Road show by Minister PA Muhammed Riyas In the absence of state government representatives, Governor Rajendra Arlekar, Union Ministers George Kurian and Suresh Gopi, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar attended the inaugural function. Apart from them, Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden was also present at the event.Kerala’s share in NH developmentAs per the information provided by Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari in the Rajya Sabha in February 2026, Kerala has contributed the highest amount - Rs 5,580.74 crore - for development of national highways. Kerala was among the 11 states which contributed towards land acquisition cost of the NH projects. Some states such as Nagaland, Manipur and Assam provided land free of cost. Kerala agreed to share the cost after the high cost of land acquisition in the state became a hurdle for road widening. “The NHAI had once closed its office in Kerala owing to hurdles in national highway widening. Then it was the LDF government which revived the NH widening project in Kerala. We have spent Rs 5,600 crore for it,” Riyas said. “Let the people decide. People will not forget the real scenario just by excluding us from inauguration,” he added. Riyas said that the actual spending is Rs 12,000 crore as the union government refused to include it under the state's borrowing limit, forcing it to borrow under Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB).The Chief Minister’s Office has not yet responded to the development. Speaking to the media, Local Self Government Minister MB Rajesh confirmed that he was not participating in the event. The minister cited late invitation and a bitter experience he had faced at a previous event as reasons. “I was invited only yesterday. I have prior commitments. In addition to that, I felt like an insult last time when the security officers insisted on producing Aadhaar for the event attended by the PM. Considering this experience, I do not intend to waste my time,” he said. Responding to the controversy, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar asked whether there is a need to invite the CM's son-in-law along with him. “As per protocol, the head of state can be invited. Where is it written that CM, his son in law and family should be invited?The CM can decide who can go with him. This is just to create a controversy ahead of the election. Why didn’t they raise the complaint seven days ago,” he asked. When pointed out that the son-in-law was also an elected representative and a minister, the BJP reiterated the same points. BJP state general secretary S Suresh ridiculed the PWD Minister, stating that the son-in-law can file a complaint with the CM. Responding to the personal attack, Riyas said that he had been facing personal attack for a while. “People know me and my political life,” he said during the road show.PM inaugurated multiple projectsApart from NH projects, PM laid foundation stone for Polypropylene Unit at the Kochi Refinery of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited. He inaugurated 23 rural roads constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and three redeveloped railway stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in Shoranur Junction, Kuttippuram, and Changanassery. The PM also inaugurated the Shoranur-Nilambur Road Railway Line Electrification Project. He also laid the foundation stone of 50 MW Floating Solar Project at West Kallada, Kollam.
IN the run-up to the Assembly election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to inaugurate development projects triggered a political row in Kerala.
The Left Democratic Front government in Kerala, on Wednesday, March 11, boycotted the official inauguration of various projects by the PM in Kochi as a protest for excluding the state Public Works Minister P A Mohammed Riyas from the function. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Cabinet ministers abstained from the event in Kochi.
The Prime Minister reached Kerala at noon to inaugurate development projects worth Rs 10,800 crore, including two completed national highway stretches, Thalappadi-Chengala and the Kozhikode bypass.
While the PM inaugurated the project in Kochi, state PWD minister Riyas conducted a road show at Kozhikode bypass from Vengalam to Ramanattukara to highlight the state's role in national highway development. Riyas said that it was not a parallel inauguration, but a symbolic protest. However, a parallel inauguration of the NH, led by CH Kunhambu, a Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA, was held in Kasaragode, minutes before the official inauguration by the PM.
In the absence of state government representatives, Governor Rajendra Arlekar, Union Ministers George Kurian and Suresh Gopi, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar attended the inaugural function. Apart from them, Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden was also present at the event.
Kerala’s share in NH development
As per the information provided by Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari in the Rajya Sabha in February 2026, Kerala has contributed the highest amount - Rs 5,580.74 crore - for the development of national highways.
Kerala was among the 11 states which contributed towards land acquisition cost of the NH projects. Some states, such as Nagaland, Manipur and Assam, provided land free of cost. Kerala agreed to share the cost after the high cost of land acquisition in the state became a hurdle for road widening.
“The NHAI had once closed its office in Kerala owing to hurdles in national highway widening. Then it was the LDF government which revived the NH widening project in Kerala. We have spent Rs 5,600 crore for it,” Riyas said. “Let the people decide. People will not forget the real scenario just by excluding us from the inauguration," he added.
Riyas said that the actual spending is Rs 12,000 crore as the union government refused to include it under the state's borrowing limit, forcing it to borrow under the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB).
The Chief Minister’s Office has not yet responded to the development. Speaking to the media, Local Self-Government Minister MB Rajesh confirmed that he was not participating in the event. The minister cited a late invitation and a bitter experience he had faced at a previous event as reasons.
“I was invited only yesterday. I have prior commitments. In addition to that, I felt like an insult last time when the security officers insisted on producing Aadhaar for the event attended by the PM. Considering this experience, I do not intend to waste my time,” he said.
Responding to the controversy, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar asked whether there is a need to invite the CM's son-in-law along with him. “As per protocol, the head of state can be invited. Where is it written that CM, his son-in-law, and family should be invited?
The CM can decide who can go with him. This is just to create a controversy ahead of the election. Why didn’t they raise the complaint seven days ago?" he asked. When pointed out that the son-in-law was also an elected representative and a minister, the BJP reiterated the same points.
BJP state general secretary S Suresh ridiculed the PWD minister, stating that the son-in-law can file a complaint with the CM.
Responding to the personal attack, Riyas said that he had been facing personal attacks for a while. “People know me and my political life,” he said during the road show.
PM inaugurated multiple projects
Apart from NH projects, PM laid the foundation stone for the Polypropylene Unit at the Kochi Refinery of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited.
He also inaugurated 23 rural roads constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and three redeveloped railway stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in Shoranur Junction, Kuttippuram, and Changanassery.
The PM also inaugurated the Shoranur-Nilambur Road Railway Line Electrification Project.
He also laid the foundation stone of the 50 MW Floating Solar Project at West Kallada, Kollam.
