THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State government has called for an urgent all-party meeting to discuss the decision of the Centre to lease out the airport to Adani group for 50 years.

The meeting will be held at 4 pm today. The State government is planning to gain the support of all political parties in the State and make a move against the Centre’s decision.

The State government intends to legally and politically oppose the decision of the Centre to hand over the airport to the Adani group. Before taking any step, the government will consult legal experts.

The case filed by Airport Employees Union in the Supreme Court had been transferred to the high court. The Supreme Court had recently sent back to the High Court (HC) the petitions of the state government and airport employees union (AAEU) challenging the Airport Authority of India’s (AAI) proposal to grant the airport’s management rights to the Adani group for 50 years. The apex court order followed the HC order on December 18, 2019.

The HC had dismissed the pleas filed by the state and AAEU back then saying the question raised in the petition has to be decided by the Supreme Court under Article 131 of the Constitution. After sending the case back to the High Court, the case could not be taken up for hearing due to Covid outbreak. So the airport takeover will be subject to the court’s final verdict.

The Centre had went ahead with its decision on leasing out the airport despite the political moves led by the chief minister against the Centre’s decision.
The State had backed its argument with facts such as the title deed of the airport land to the historical importance of the place.

Even the prime minister was informed that the company to be formed by the State would quote the same amount quoted by Adani group. All these requests fell on deaf ears.

Now, the Left leaders demand a reply from MoS V Muraleedharan for the ‘airport’ slipping through the State government’s fingers.