Thiruvananthapuram: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be inaugurating Kochi Metro on Saturday this week, but a controversy has already eclipsed the much-anticipated ceremony.

It has emerged that E Sreedharan's name - also known as "Metro man" - is missing from the list of people who would be sharing the stage with PM Modi, along with 16 others.

The communique received by the Kochi Metro from the PMO didn't have the names of E Sreedharan and Elias George, Director, Kochi Metro Rail Ltd.

"The final list is made by the PMO (Prime Minister's Office). We have no role in this," said Elias George, according to news agency IANS.

The PMO's decision not to have Sreedharan on the list of guests has met with severe criticism. People took to social media, chastising the PMO's move for "ignoring the man behind the success of Metro".

E Sreedharan said: "I don't have any companions. I will go for the inauguration, and it is a natural procedure."

Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said the inauguration of Kerala's dream project, Kochi Metro, should have been conducted without any controversies. "Kochi metro is ours, too. The project was completed during the UDF tenure. A controversy at such a happy time should have been avoided. But UDF will not boycott it. We protest against what has happened, but we cannot stay away from this. It is a normal procedure to call the MLA, opposition leader and all."

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote to the Prime Minister's office, asking it to include the names of aforementioned dignitaries for their efforts in building the Kochi Metro infrastructure.

The communique sent by the PMO had names of 17 people who will share the stage with PM Modi.