Congress MP Rajmohan Unnithan, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan lock horns over Kasargod-Dakshina Kannada new rail line, AIIMS

Thiruvananthapuram: Congress MP Rajmohan Unnithan reportedly locked horns with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over development issues of Kasargod, including the Kanhangad - Kaniyoor rail line, during a conference on Monday.

Unnithan, the MP from Kasargod, told reporters that he felt offended over Vijayan's neglect and ridiculing remarks towards his demands to propose the northern district as ideal place for setting up the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) as well as taking forward the long-pending proposal for a railway line from Kanhangad in Kasargod to Kaniyoor in Dakshina Kannada.

The chief minister had convened a Parliamentarians' conference to discuss the issues of the state that need to be raised in the Parliament as well as with the Centre.

Unnithan said when he stressed the need to propose Kasargod as the ideal location for AIIMS in Kerala citing the medical backwardness of the region, Vijayan ignored this and insisted on taking forward the proposal for Kozhikode, despite the fact that Kozhikode already has a full-fledged medical college and many super specialty hospitals. As soon as the issue was taken up for discussion, Vijayan ridiculed that Unnithan would be opposing the proposal to set up AIIMS in Kozhikode, alleged the MP.

Unnithan said that he was more offended by Vijayan's 'ridiculing response' to his plea to take forward the long-pending proposal for Kanhangad - Kaniyoor rail line, which could reduce travel time considerably.

Unnithan added that he urged the chief minister to issue a No Objection Certificate of Kerala government for the railways proposal, but Vijayan allegedly responded saying that this was taken up with the previous BJP government in Karnataka and the latter was not ready to issue NOC.