KOCHI: Kitex Group chairman and managing director Sabu M Jacob on Sunday said he won’t invest a single rupee in Kerala anymore. He said the Telangana government gave them a grand welcome during their two-day visit and that they would soon finalise the procedures for making an initial investment of Rs 1,000 crore there.
Sabu Jacob, meanwhile, said he would not respond to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s statement that the current issue raised by Kitex was an attempt to bring disrepute to the state and should be seen as something done with an ulterior intention.
“I will not respond to the chief minister’s statement. My conscience does not allow me to invest even a rupee anymore in the state. In fact, we should thank three MLAs and an MP of the Congress who showed us how to save crores of rupees in business by moving to another state,” Sabu told reporters at the Kochi airport on his return from Telangana.
“We were given a grand welcome in Telangana. The company will finalise the investment process in the next two weeks,” he said, adding that the trip was an opportunity to understand the offers and incentives given to industries by other states to attract investment.On a query whether he was ready for talks with the Kerala Government, he said he was always open for talks, but none from the government had approached him so far.
“Even if they had sent a clerk, I would have held discussions. I am happy I could employ thousands of people in Kerala with the Kitex project. Even if we set up units in Telangana or any other state, I will give a job to any Keralite who approaches me there,” said Kitex chairman and MD Sabu M Jacob. He has called a press meet on Monday to give details of his visit and his firm’s investment plans in Telangana.