THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the state prepares to proudly welcome the first ship in the deep sea of ​​Vizhinjam, the ruling and opposition parties are in dispute at land over who gets the credit.

When LDF convener EP Jayarajan said that Vizhinjam port is another victory of the Left Front, the opposition leader said that it is a symbol of the will of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and the UDF government. Ramesh Chennithala demands that the port be named after Oommen Chandy.
Vizhinjam is being celebrated across the state by presenting it as the Pinarayi government's administrative achievement along with the GAIL pipeline, Koodamkulam power line and the development of National Highway. The opposition came against this.

EP Jayarajan said that Vizhinjam will be helpful for the overall development of the state. Some say the port should be named after Oommen Chandy. There are people who even said that it should be named after K Karunakaran and Indira Gandhi. EP joked that this is a matter to be worried about while naming the port.

VD Satheesan retorted that the Left government can forget Oommen Chandy and the UDF government in the case of Vizhinjam but Kerala will not forget it. Oommen Chandy, who made Vizhinjam a reality, is a replica of leader K Karunakaran's determination, who made Nedumbassery Airport and Pariyaram Medical College a reality by overcoming CPM's machinations. There is no need to be unsettled when facts are stated. No matter how much you try, the credit goes to Oommen Chandy.

The then party secretary Pinarayi Vijayan was the one who accused a 6000 crore real estate trade and corruption in the 5000 crore Vizhinjam project. The first Pinarayi government appointed a commission to investigate the corruption. It all went up in smoke. Satheesan accused the Pinarayi government of subverting the package that was formed under the leadership of Oommen Chandy for the rehabilitation of fishermen as part of the project.

CPM State Secretary MV Govindan said that Vizhinjam was first proposed when EK Nayanar was the Chief Minister. When VS became the Chief Minister, the tender was also invited. AK Antony, who was the defence minister at that time, blocked it by alleging Chinese connection. Later, UDF launched a campaign against Vizhinjam using Christian churches. Surviving all this, the project became a reality only because of the determination of the Pinarayi Vijayan government. Successive governments may have tried to do something. That alone is not enough to make the project successful, MV Govindan said.

Left Front and CPM are not against development. If the CPM had protested on account of Vizhinjam, it was for the fishermen who are the mainstay of the port. We implemented a rehabilitation package of 500 crores when we came to power, EP Jayarajan said.