THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The exclusion of MLAs at the inauguration of the Kollam bypass has sparked a controversy. MLAs M Noushad, Vijayan Pillai and Kollam Mayor V Rajendra Babu have not been invited for the function. Meantime, BJP’s MLA O Rajagopal, Rajya Sabha member V Muraleedharan and actor Suresh Gopi have given seats at the dais.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reach Kerala for a one-day visit Tuesday evening. He will attend various programmes in Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram. Modi, who will be reaching Trivandrum International Airport’s Technical Area at 4 pm, will proceed to Kollam in a helicopter. He will inaugurate Kollam bypass at a function organised at the Asramam Maidan at 4.50 pm. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will preside over the function. Governor P Sathasivam and Minister G Sudhakaran will attend the function. The bypass is 13.141 km long from Mevaram to Kavanad Altharamoodu and this will be dedicated to the nation by the Prime Minister. It includes three major bridges over the Ashtamudi Lake, having a total length of 1540 metres. Modi will kick off the party’s campaign for the Lok Sabha poll at the Cantonment Ground at 5.30 pm.

He will return to the capital city at 7 am. He will then proceed to Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple at 7.15 pm. After commissioning the state’s first project under the Swadesh Darshan scheme on the temple premises, he will offer prayers at the temple. He will return to New Delhi at 8 pm.