Pinarayi, PM Modi hit if off, bagful of promises for Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s courtesy call on the Prime Minister in New Delhi on Saturday on the third day after assuming office turned  into a full-fledged business session with Mr Narendra Modi displaying a rare  warmth and taking into account the development aspirations of Kerala .

“Please consider this as your home” was how Mr Modi tried to reassure the new chief minister as if opening a new chapter for the centre-state relationship. Both being shrewd administrators,  they preferred to keep their politics apart.

Home Minister  Rajnath Singh, whom Mr Vijayan met,   raised the issue of clashes between the CPM and BJP men in Kerala and wanted the chief minister to check them. Mr Pinarayi asked  Mr Singh  to first rein in his men and said  that  he would discharge his responsibility as the chief minister thereafter.  Mr Vijayan was fully prepared with the details of the schemes that he wanted to discuss.

Instead of taking  the ministers, he took his chief secretary and principal secretary along with him,  indicating that it was a business session. Mr Vijayan’s meeting with Mr Modi was  in stark contrast to the interactions between the late chief minister E. K. Nayanar and former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, which were never warm.

“The meeting was cordial. The prime minister told us that Kerala could become a national model on two fronts – a state free of open defecation and fully digital” Mr Pinarayi said. Rubber issue:  Mr Modi suggested the use of rubber by NHAI and defence for roads to overcome the crisis in the rubber sector.

Ayurveda: The PM assured there would be no dearth of funds for making Kerala an international ayurveda destination.

GAIL pipeline: Mr Modi inquired about the pipeline work and asked the state government to expedite it. The chief minister said his government will give priority to the project.

Police modernisation:  The centre assured to release funds for modernisation in a couple of months. Another IRB battalion will be raised soon.

Centre-state cooperation: Mr Modi wanted the state to work together with the centre for development. The chief minister said his government would also work for ushering in development.

CPM-BJP clashes: Mr Modi asked Mr Pinarayi if he could convene peace talks. The chief minister asked the PM to direct his partymen to stop violence first and assured that he would also do the same before convening such a meeting.

High speed rail: Mr Modi suggested private investment in the rail sector. The chief minister said the government was not averse to such proposals.

Mullaperiyar dam:  “We have to realise that the commission has given is verdict on the strength of the dam. We have to accept that position and engage the neighbouring state for peaceful resolution,” Mr Pinarayi said.