“Obviously, the election fever has started and the Congress has thought it best to convince those advocating Ram Sethu on the feasibility of the project rather than provoke them. But all this is only going to delay the project and push the deadline for its completion further,” pointed out a peeved Union Minister from the DMK, who did not wish to be named.

Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has chosen to remain silent though the Government’s decision to withdraw its two affidavits in the Supreme Court had been conveyed to him. Busy inaugurating development projects in the districts, Karunanidhi is yet to react on the SSCP.

“This is the time the CM has to be careful. No one can prevent Sethusamudram project from happening. So it is better that our leader treads cautiously,” said a senior DMK leader in Tamil Nadu.

Lashing out against the BJP for opposing the project now, DMK seniors pointed out how the SSCP had received the green signal during the NDA regime. “It is a planned and planted effort to spoil growth and development in the south. They can’t believe that this kind of project could make such progress,” said a senior leader.

While AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa had raised strident protests on the grounds that the livelihood of fishermen in the region would be affected besides the project affecting the sensitive marine bio-park, she did a sudden volte face on Wednesday, choosing to toe the BJP’s line. She has demanded that the Centre examine alternative alignments and save the Ram Sethu as a “monument”.

... contd.