Congress leader and AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal on Thursday accused the Adani Group of attempting to transfer a 49 per cent stake in the company operating the Vizhinjam International Seaport without informing the Kerala government, asserting that the state is "not like BJP-ruled states where the group acts as a superpower."
Responding to reports of the proposed sale of a 49 per cent stake in Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited (AVPPL) to Switzerland-based Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), Venugopal said the transaction was still awaiting regulatory approvals and the Adani Group must explain the development.
"The Adani Group cannot carry out such activities by keeping the Kerala government in the dark. Kerala is not like BJP-ruled states where the Adani Group acts as a superpower," he said on Thursday.
Venugopal said he had found that the transaction was still awaiting SEBI approval and other necessary clearances, and therefore, the Adani Group should respond to the issue.
"Is Adani our super government? Do they think they can carry out such actions by keeping the Kerala government in the dark? Is this a BJP-ruled state? There is criticism that in some BJP-ruled states, it is Adani's decisions that prevail," he said.
"But Kerala is not like that. Here, the Adani Group is not a superpower. Things do not happen simply because Adani decides they should. Did the Adani Group assume that the situation in Kerala is the same?" the senior Congress leader asked.
The remarks come two days after Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) announced that Switzerland-based MSC, the world's largest shipping and logistics group, would acquire a 49 per cent stake in AVPPL for about USD 1.4 billion.
APSEZ described the deal as the largest foreign private investment in Indian port infrastructure, saying it would strengthen Vizhinjam's position as a major transhipment hub in the Indian Ocean.
The announcement also drew objections from the Kerala government. Hours after APSEZ disclosed the proposed stake sale, Kerala chief minister V D Satheesan expressed the state government's displeasure, saying it had not been informed of the proposed transfer.
Satheesan said no change in ownership could take place without the Kerala government's prior approval, citing the concession agreement that mandates the state's consent for any ownership change.
Meanwhile, the opposition CPI(M) also urged the UDF government to take immediate steps to prevent the proposed transfer of a 49 per cent stake in AVPPL to MSC, saying "steps must be taken to ensure that the port remains under the ownership of the state".