THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the local body poll around the corner, the all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday demanded the Central government to withdraw its decision to award the operations of the Trivandrum International Airport to Adani Group. It also decided to pass a resolution in the assembly against the Centre’s decision.
As expected, leaders of all political parties except BJP opposed the privatisation of the airport.The meeting decided to continue the legal battle against the move and put up a united fight against the Centre’s decision. Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala extended support should the government introduce a resolution against the move in the assembly.
However, the unity could be shortlived as Congress MP Shashi Tharoor reiterated his stand rooting for the airport’s privatisation and Union Minister V Muraleedharan threw a spanner saying the government’s opposition now is only to divert the attention from the gold smuggling scandal.As the meeting started, the chief minister briefed the leaders about the steps taken so far by the state to retain the airport in the public sector.
The state had written twice to the prime minister and three times to the Union civil aviation minister with regard to Thiruvananthapuram airport.It was upon an assurance given by the Centre in 2003 that the state government had formed a special purpose vehicle to run the airport when it was decided to privatise it.
The state had given 23.58 acres of land in 2005 to the Airports Authority of India for the airport's development. Efforts are on to acquiring another 18 acres for the purpose.
All these steps by the state underscore the need to correct the Centre’s decision. The chief minister said the kind of government support given to a public sector airport can't be given to a privatised airport.
Whoever takes control of the airport would know they cannot run it without the state's help, he said. The state cannot afford to lose the airport retained in the public sector to a private player. The steps to be taken in the assembly will be decided in consultation with the Speaker and opposition leader, the chief minister said.
The CM also wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi apprising him of the developments in the all-party meeting. He once again requested the PM to reconsider the decision to hand over the management and operation of the airport to a private bidder.