Summary:
Norka secretary K Ellangovan and media adviser to the chief minister John Brittas will be accompanying the chief minister. "We are still hopeful that the Centre would give the permission for the foreign trips of the ministers. Earlier in the day, the chief minister expressed hope that the Centre would give nod for the foreign visit of his cabinet colleagues. "What turned out to be a setback for the state was the decision to send 16 ministers and CM together. The application for the foreign trips of state ministers were given to the Union home ministry and that of the chief minister was sent to the Prime Minister's office.The state government had planned the visit of 16 ministers other than the chief minister to 26 different countries starting from Wednesday to October 21..