'Manmohan Singh burst out laughing after reading the petition submitted by VS Achuthanandan and Oommen Chandy'

Professor K V Thomas, former Union Minister and now Special Representative of the State Government in Delhi, shared his experience during the Manmohan Singh government regarding the National Highway. Thomas recounted an incident involving a petition presented to the Prime Minister by V S Achuthanandan, who was then the Chief Minister and Oommen Chandy, who was the Leader of the Opposition.

"The national highway in Kerala is 45 meters wide now. But one incident stands out in my mind. Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister at that time and I was a member of his cabinet. A group including former Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan and Oommen Chandy came before him to present a memorandum. Their demand was to reduce the width of the national highway in Kerala to 30 meters. Manmohan Singh burst out laughing upon receiving this petition because, in other states of India, the width of the national highway was 60 meters. Kerala decided to stick to 30 meters then. Now it is 45 meters," Thomas remarked.

On January 18, 2023, Thomas, who left the Congress and joined the CPM was appointed as the special representative of Kerala in Delhi by the state government. On December 20, 2023, the government issued an order granting an honorarium of 12.5 lakhs to K.V. Thomas. The release of money by relaxing the treasury control sparked a significant debate at that time. A sum of 12.5 lakh rupees was sanctioned on that day, including the salary for four staff members.