KANNUR: Communist Marxist Party (CMP) leader and former Minister M.V. Raghavan has said that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s eagerness to award the Vizhinjam transhipment project to Lanco Kondapalli Power Ltd. is puzzling.

Talking to reporters, Mr. Raghavan, former Minister for Ports in the United Democratic Front (UDF) Ministry, said that the government’s keenness to award the contract to the Hyderabad-based consortium raised questions about the government’s intention.

The Supreme Court’s judgment dismissing the State government’s appeal against the High Court order asking the government to consider the technical and financial bids of Zoom Developers exposed the government’s willingness to award the work to the consortium.

Mr. Raghavan said that Lanco Kondapalli Power Ltd.’s proposal for acquiring 1,092 hectares for the project was also questionable.

During the previous UDF rule, the government had told the public at Vizhinjam that there would be no land acquisition as the project was being developed on reclaimed land.

Source: The Hindu