KOCHI: Just two days ahead of the launch, controversy engulfed Kochi Metro’s first phase inauguration. The SPG on Wednesday pruned the state government’s list of dignitaries who can share the dais with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The 13-person list, offered by KMRL through the government, included the names of principal adviser to DMRC E Sreedharan, KMRL managing director Elias George, MLA P T Thomas, K V Thomas MP, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy among others.
But the snipped list from the PMO did not contain any of those names while Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu, Governor P Sathasivam, Transport Minister Thomas Chandy and Kochi Mayor Soumini Jain found a place in it.