It was also a day when politics took a backseat. Political parties cutting across the ideological divide sank their differences and vowed to work for the State’s development.

It was a proud day for Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who led from the front in ensuring the remarkable performance of the State in various fields. In his inaugural address, the Chief Minister said the LDF Government had ensured that no investor coming to Kerala would have to face the “cobweb of procedural delays and meet the barriers of red tape.”

“Kerala’s investment scenario is in the cusp of history. We are witnessing progress and change for the better. It is at this juncture that this Summit is taking place bringing together global investors, visionaries in the field, experts and policy-makers to explore the investment potential of Kerala and witness our initiatives towards building an investor-`friendly architecture in the State,” he added.

Leading the Kerala-friendly - a refreshing change from the recriminatory tone usually adopted by the Union Ministers - announcements were three Union Ministers: Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goel and Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary.

Mr. Gadkari, who has never allowed his political persuasion to cloud his judgment when it comes to matters of development, used the occasion to announce the launch of road infrastructure projects worth Rs 50,000 crore for Kerala. “We have 31 upcoming projects spanning 896 kilometres costing about Rs 50,000 crore,” said Mr. Gadkari in his online address to the Summit. Besides, he added, the Union Government has already completed Rs 20,000 crore worth road infra projects in the State. The roadworks will begin as soon as 90 per cent of the land is acquired. This will provide a seamless connectivity to the Vizhinjam port and a main corridor for port-based development.

Gadkari’s good words for Kerala were not a surprise. He is the most Kerala-friendly minister in the Union Cabinet. And he had never shied away from lavishing praise on the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government – and he has an excellent rapport with the Kerala Chief Minister – whenever praise is due.

The pleasant surprise was the appreciatory remarks made by the other two ministers, Piyush Goel and Jayant Chaudhary. The LDF Government’s ambitious SilverLine project, which had been stalled by mass protests, was back in focus when Goel said in his address to the Summit, “SilverLine, a semi-high speed railway line connecting Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod will reduce travel time to four hours.” This was a stinging slap in the face of the SilverLine’s critics who strained every nerve to deny Kerala the project.

Goel also remarked, in a lighter vein, that Lotus is yet to bloom in Kerala – a reference to the failure of the B JP to achieve a firm footing in the state, which is a byword for secularism and pluralism. Mr. Goel should know that the reason for the BJP’s lack of success in the State is the party’s Kerala-hostile attitude and minority-baiting.

Jayant Chaudhary also made laudatory references to Kerala’s achievements in various fields. So impressed was he with the success of the Kochi Water Metro project that he said he would request Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to study the project and explore the possibilities of implement the project in UP!

Another major announcement came from the Adani group. Managing Director Karan Adani who said the group will invest Rs 30,000 crore in Kerala over the next five years. The investments will include Rs 5,500 crore to expand operations of the Thiruvananthapuram airport and another Rs 20,000 crore additional investment in the Vizhinjam port to turn the facility into the largest transhipment port in this part of the world.

For a change, Leader of the Opposition V. D. Satheesan, a trenchant critic of the LDF Government, also extended full support for its developmental activities. He, however, tried to take some credit for the growth and infrastructure push made by the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Government in the past. That was only to be expected. But even the LoP could not ignore the big momentum developmental activities have gathered under the LDF Government. Hence his grudging praise.

That the Summit will end up as a runaway success is clear from the enthusiastic response on the first day itself. More than 3,000 investors from 26 countries attended the Summit which also saw representation from Germany, France, Norway, Australia, Malaysia and Vietnam. Among the dignitaries who spoke at the summit were UAE’s Economy Minister Abdullah Bin Touq Al Marri, Bahrain’s commerce minister, Norkha chairman M A Yusufali, ITC Ltd. chief Sanjiv Puri and Adani Ports MD Karan Adani.

The rollicking start of the Summit constitutes a ringing rebuff of the incorrigible Kerala critics. The doubting Thomases and Cassandras must realise that no amount of negative criticism can stop the tremendous momentum Kerala’s development juggernaut has gathered. It is time Union Ministers Suresh Gopi and George Kurien who have been mouthing Kerala-hostile statements day in and day out indulged in introspection and made adequate amends for their shockingly negative attitude to the State. (IPA Service)