Union Minister Suresh Gopi has said that a “double engine government” is necessary for the development of the state while the BJP is in power in Kerala. That MP N.
K. He was talking to reporters after visiting Kollam Junction Railway Station. Premchandran to assess the possibility of conservation of heritage buildings at the station.
“My only request to the people is that they should pay attention to the benefits other states are getting from the double engine government. The exception is Tamil Nadu, which even without a double engine government, has been able to provide the public everything it deserves, despite rivals ruling at the Centre,” he said on Friday.
“For Kerala to develop, there should either be a BJP government or there should be a situation where the BJP can influence governance,” the Thrissur MP said. Referring to a forensic laboratory project awarded by the Centre, Mr.
Gopi said it was initially proposed to be set up in Thrissur but was shifted to Thiruvananthapuram by the State government citing lack of land availability. “The Center had sought 25 acres of land in Thrissur, where another big project will now come up,” he said. He alleged that the state government may face problems from Thrissur as many development projects are being taken out of the district.
“This should be told to the people of Thrissur. Every place should be included for development,” he said. Mr Gopi said lessons should be learned from the party’s victory in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation and repeated in the Assembly elections.
He also said he would meet Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav to discuss retaining the heritage building in the Kollam railway station complex and using it for tourism purposes. He said that he would leave for New Delhi on January 5.
Mr Gopi said some British-era constructions at the station had been removed, which could have been preserved as heritage structures. Mr. Premachandran said he was hopeful that the renovation work at Kollam Railway Station would be completed on time.
The Kollam MP also said that the old station buildings could be converted into a railway museum.