THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, December 25: There is more to it than meets the eye behind the Kerala government pleading ignorance to the reported entry by Mumbai-based hotel group Leelaventure Ltd into the proposed Kannur international airport project.

Even as the state government strongly denies any role by Leelaventure in the airport project, hotel group chairman CP Krishnan Nair appears lobbying for the project in his capacity as the vice-chairman of the recently-formed Kannur airport action committee, along with chief minister EK Nayanar and his party comrades from Kannur.

While top officials in the government secretariat and the chief minister's office here denied any knowledge of involvement by Krishnan Nair or Leelaventures in the proposed airport project, CPM state organ Deshabhimani reported last week-end that Krishnan Nair is the vice-chairman of the people's action committee formed for setting up the project.

The CPM daily also reported that Krishnan Nair would attend a high level meeting to discuss the airport project, scheduled to be held at Kannur on December 29.

The meeting is being convened by the chief minister and among those who would attend the meeting include power minister Pinarayi Vijayan who is chairman of the Kannur airport action committee and the Airport Authority of India director. The chief minister's announcement after a meeting of the state cabinet middle of the last week that the centre had cleared the Kannur airport project is viewed as quite intriguing in the state capital.

Nayanar's announcement at a news conference, significantly comes within 48 hours after the written reply furnished to the Assembly, that the project was yet to get clearance from the centre.

The reply to a question on the floor of the House came on Tuesday last. The announcement to the media by the chief minister was on Thursday.

Congress circles in Thiruvananthapuram dubbed the chief minister's hasty announcement as politically motivated. Nayanar and his comrades from Kannur are focussing on the Lok Sabha elections.

The CPM is planning to field a party candidate for the coming elections in the Kannur Lok Sabha constituency, unlike during previous elections and expect political mileage by the airport project, observe Opposition parties.

Also the propriety of clearing a mega project of about Rs 250 crore after elections having been announced is also being questioned. Lending further credence to the possible stake by Leelaventures in the project, the state government, according to the chief minister, has been directed by the centre to promote the project jointly by the state government with one or two private partners.

The task of identifying the private partners has been entrusted by the chief minister to his secretary.

On enquiry, it is learnt that the only communication received by the state from the centre in regard to the clearance for the Kannur airport project was a letter to the chief minister by union civil aviation minister CM Ibrahim.

The minister has also been quite enthusiastic about an international airport at Kannur, despite strong reservations on the part of his colleagues in the ministry as well as those in the Airport Authority of India.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.