New Delhi: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of Bihar distanced himself from today’s NITI Aayog meeting in Delhi, opting not to attend. Instead, Chief Secretary Brajesh Mehrotra represented the Bihar government. The gathering included Union Ministers Jitan Ram Manjhi, Lallan Singh, and Chirag Paswan, all of whom are NITI Aayog members.
The state’s presence was ensured by Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha. However, the reason behind Nitish Kumar’s absence remains undisclosed. Neeraj Kumar, the Janata Dal-United (JDU) spokesperson, clarified that this wasn’t the first time the Chief Minister had missed a Commission meeting. In previous instances, Bihar was represented by the Deputy Chief Minister. Kumar emphasized that four Union Ministers from Bihar would participate, rendering Nitish Kumar’s absence less significant.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made a dramatic exit from the meeting. She alleged unfair treatment, claiming she was denied an opportunity to speak and was abruptly silenced after just five minutes. Banerjee stated, “I have boycotted the meeting. Chandrababu Naidu received 20 minutes to speak, while CMs of Assam, Goa, and Chhattisgarh had 10-12 minutes each. This disparity is unacceptable. As the opposition’s sole representative, I am here to strengthen cooperative federalism, and I registered my protest.”
The 9th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog aimed to discuss the document “Developed India 2047,” with the ambitious goal of transforming India into a developed nation. The Council comprises Chief Ministers from all states, Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories, and several Union Ministers, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi serving as its Chairman.
