Vizhinjam International Seaport inauguration turns political battlefield as Kerala govt, PM Modi, Congress claim credit
The Vizhinjam International Seaport, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, has long been a political flashpoint in Kerala, with multiple parties and leaders competing to claim credit for its fruition. The official port commissioning ceremony itself mirrored this ongoing tug-of-war.
Kerala’s Ports Minister and senior CPI(M) leader V.N. Vasavan, in his welcome address, greeted Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan before extending a welcome to Prime Minister Modi. His three-minute speech was laced with praise for Vijayan’s leadership, crediting him for the successful completion of the port. Vasavan described the chief minister as a "kaalam kathuvecha karmayogi", translated to a karmic doer chosen by destiny to complete the project. Vasavan also hailed the chief minister as the "architect of the Vizhinjam project."
The Congress-led UDF, particularly the leader of opposition V.D. Satheesan, has accused the ruling LDF of downplaying the contributions of the late former chief minister Oommen Chandy, whose cabinet approved the Vizhinjam project in 2015 and signed the initial agreement with the Adani Group.
Satheesan was not included in the original list of invitees for the high-profile inauguration event, which was to be attended by PM Modi, sparking criticism from the opposition. After the controversy gained traction in the media, the state government sent a formal invitation to Satheesan. He, however, refused to attend the inauguration, stating that the invitation was an afterthought and a mere formality following the uproar. Satheeshan lashed out at the state government, saying the Vijayan government had deliberately excluded him out of fear that he would speak uncomfortable truths about the port’s history and the credit for the project.
Meanwhile, CM Vijayan maintained that the project—now having reached the significant milestone of official commissioning—was fundamentally a vision of the LDF. The chief minister avoided any mention of Chandy in his speech. “Reviving Vizhinjam from the forgotten pages of history and transforming it into an international port is a testament to the willpower and determination of the LDF government in Kerala,” said the chief minister.
CM Vijayan added that Vizhinjam International Seaport is a project envisioned by the LDF government of 1996. “The project had fallen into uncertainty in the intervening years. In 2009, the International Finance Corporation was appointed to conduct a project study. Although the tendering process began in 2010, the Central government denied approval at that stage. The period that followed saw a wave of protests, including a human chain formed in support of the project.
"In 2015, an agreement was signed. However, it faced criticism on multiple fronts. Despite the criticisms, we maintained the position that the Vizhinjam project must go forward,” said the chief minister, who added that the LDF adopted the principle that development should not be hindered by political differences. “Following our return to power in 2016, we took concrete steps to transform Vizhinjam into a major port. It is those efforts that have brought the project to fruition today,” he said, while also making a statement that “Thus we made this one also a reality.”
Notably, back in 2015, Vijayan publicly criticised the agreement signed by Oommen Chandy for the Vizhinjam port project. He then described the deal as a “land scam worth Rs 6,000 crore” and raised concerns about the terms, particularly regarding the financial benefits to the state and the long concession period granted to the Adani Group.
The chief minister also reiterated the money spent by different parties so far for the Vizhinjam International Seaport. “For the first time in India, a major port is being constructed under the initiative of a state government. Kerala is bearing the majority of the cost—Rs 5,370.86 crore out of the total Rs 8,686 crore. The remaining Rs 2,497 crore is being invested by Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited. The Central government is providing Rs 818 crore as viability gap funding,” said the chief minister, indirectly hinting that the BJP does not have much to claim in the successful completion of this first phase of the port.
Notably, the Kerala government has strongly objected to the repayment conditions attached to the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) provided for the Vizhinjam International Seaport. It has repeatedly urged the Union government to waive the repayment clause, arguing that VGF is typically extended as a non-repayable grant in public-private partnership infrastructure projects. The state cited examples such as the Tuticorin port, where no repayment was required. However, the Centre has so far not taken a favorable stance, and PM Modi notably avoided mentioning the issue in his speech.
Modi too struck a political note in his speech at the commissioning event. He praised Adani for building a technologically advanced port in Kerala and pointedly referred to State Minister V.N. Vasavan's own description of Adani as a “partner.” Modi said it is encouraging to see a Communist minister calling Adani a partner.
Modi further remarked that the Vizhinjam commissioning event would likely give “sleepless nights” to many leaders in the INDIA alliance—implying that those who frequently criticise Adani’s alleged proximity to the BJP and the Union government would now find it difficult to reconcile the fact that the port project was completed with Adani as a partner under a project initiated during the Congress-led government’s period and completed during a CPI-M-led government’s period.
Apart from speaking about his government's developmental initiatives, Modi also made a special mention of the late Pope Francis, sharing personal memories of their interactions. He also referred to the church established by St. Thomas in Kerala—an apparent gesture aimed at strengthening the BJP’s outreach to the Christian community in the state, particularly the St. Thomas Christians.
India