THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Minister Kadakampally Surendran sparked a minor controversy on Friday, that chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan will flag off the Kochi Metro , if the Prime Minister is not available to inaugurate the service on May 30.Taking umbrage to the statement that the chief minister would flag off the Metro service on the 13-km first stage between Aluva and Palarivattom, the BJP termed it a "political conspiracy" to avoid the Prime Minister.Minister for devaswomSurendran triggered the row while announcing the government's plan for its first an niversary celebration, which would commence on Saturday. "The inauguration has tentatively been fixed for May 30, and if the Prime Minister's date is not available, then the chief minister will inau gurate it," he minister responded to a question. "We will not be able to defer the inauguration indefinitely," Surendran, also the convenor of the cabinet sub-committee overseeing the anniversary celebrations, added.According to the government's anniversary programmes, the inauguration of the Metro was schedule for May 30 at 5 at Aluva.As the minister's statement snowballed into a con troversy, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan stepped in."We are in constant touch with the PMO for his date and for an official confirmation.But so far no confirmation has been received. The state will decide the date once we get the confirmation," the chief minister said in Kannur.The chief minister's office said the government had officially invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April itself.Meanwhile, the BJP saw "a political conspiracy" in the issue. The central government has contributed Rs 1,600 crore to the Kochi Metro. The (state) government is using the name of development to gain publicity, A N Radhakrishnan, state general secretary of the BJP, said in Kochi.

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