Foundation stone controversy: Chandy puts ball in NHAI court

Reacting to a controversy over the mention of the state BJP president's name on a foundation stone of a road project, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Wednesday sought to put the ball in the NHAI's court.

"When legislators raised the matter at the venue on Tuesday, I checked out and was told that all arrangements for the inaugural function were made by National Highways Authority of India officials," Chandy told the media here.

Legislators from the Congress-led United Democratic Front and Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front protested to Chandy at the venue on Tuesday after they saw state BJP chief V. Muraleedharan's name figuring prominently above the names of legislators on the foundation stone.

Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari was the guest at the inaugural function of a national highway project on the city outskirts.

The chief minister said the state Congress leadership never indulged in such things during the 10 years the Congress-led UPA government was in power at the Centre.

Incidentally, the BJP is yet to open its account in the 140-member Kerala assembly.