Gujarat asks Kerala legislators to reconsider decision

Gujarat Minister for Agriculture Babubhai B Bokhiriya today asked the group of legislators from Kerala to reconsider their decision to cancel trip to Surat to look into the waste management plant.
Bokhiriya, heading a team of delegation from Gujarat, was in the city to explain the objectives of erecting statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel titled "Statue of Unity" in Gujarat.
Talking to reporters, Bokhiriya said political differences should not come in the way of development. Gujarat model of development could be followed all over the country, he added.
A planned visit by a group of legislators led by senior ministers of the ruling UDF Government to Surat in Gujarat to study urban development initiatives undertaken there was called off apparently fearing political backlash in the state.

Leaders of both UDF and opposition LDF consider Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as their political bete noire.
The tour of the legislators was planned by Kerala Legislative Assembly Subject Committee on Local Administration, Rural Development and Housing, in which legislators from Congress, CPI-M, Muslim League, Kerala Congress-Mani, CPI and National Secular Conference are members. The team was scheduled to visit Surat on December 12.