Chief ministers of three opposition ruled states in India have decided to skip the 10th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog, which is chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Saturday to discuss "Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat @2047."
Here's a look at the ministers who will not be in attendance.
Mamata Banerjee
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee will skip, sources in the state secretariat said to the PTI. The reason behind the TMC supremo’s decision not to participate in the meeting was undisclosed.
There was no official statement about who would represent West Bengal in the meeting in the absence of the chief minister, the sources said. But chief secretary Manoj Pant is likely to be present .
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya said that it is "unfortunate" for the people of West Bengal that the chief minister chose not to attend the meeting of the think tank, where CMs of several other states are attending.
"By not attending the meeting, the people of the state got deprived, as the issues of West Bengal will not get raised there. The state government has missed the chance to raise several pressing issues which are important for West Bengal," Bhattacharya said. This move to go against the Centre will "not benefit" the state, the BJP leader said.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, "Had she attended the meeting, the chief minister could have raised many issues, such as non-disbursement of central funds which are required for the development of the state."
Last year, Banerjee walked out of a NITI Aayog meeting chaired by PM Modi, alleging that she was unfairly cut off during her speech despite being the sole representative from the Opposition. According to Banerjee, her microphone was turned off after just five minutes, while other chief ministers were given significantly more time to speak.
“This is insulting. I will not attend any further meetings,” the Bengal CM had said. “I walked out in protest. (Andhra Pradesh chief minister) Chandrababu Naidu was allowed to speak for 20 minutes. The chief ministers of Assam, Goa, and Chhattisgarh spoke for 10 to 12 minutes. I was stopped after only five.”
The government had dismissed her allegations, stating that her allotted time to speak had expired.
PIB Factcheck, in a post on X, had said it is "misleading" to say that Banerjee's microphone was switched off. "The clock only showed that her speaking time was over," it said.
Siddaramaiah
Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah will not attend.
"The chief minister is not boycotting the meeting, but he has a prior engagement in Mysuru," a source close to the CM told PTI.
The chief minister has sent his address to the Governing council of the NITI Aayog to New Delhi.
It is not clear if any other official will present the Congress chief minister’s address.
Pinarayi Vijayan
Kerala chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will not be attending the meeting, according to government sources.
The sources said that the CPM leader has designated state finance minister K.N. Balagopal to represent Kerala.
But since it is a meeting of CMs, it is not clear whether Balagopal would be able to attend it, PTI reported.
No reason was given for Vijayan’s absence.
Last year also, Vijayan had not attended a Niti Aayog meeting of CMs in Delhi.
N Rangasamy
Puducherry chief minister N. Rangasamy did not attend the 10th meeting of the NITI Aayog.
The reasons for his absence are unclear. It was not clear immediately whether the speech of the chief minister would be read out at the meeting.
Chief ministers of other non-BJP states, from Jammu and Kashmir’s Omar Abdullah, Punjab’s Bhagwant Mann, Tamil Nadu’s M.K.Stalin have attended the meeting.
Telangana CM Revanth Reddy and Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also attended the meeting.
Revanth Reddy attended the meeting, marking the first participation by a Telangana CM in this key forum since 2018. The meeting is expected to conclude by 4 PM. During the session, Revanth Reddy will present the "Telangana Rising 2047" vision, a comprehensive roadmap detailing the state's developmental goals, governance strategies, and infrastructure plans. The initiative seeks to garner central support for Telangana’s long-term growth and transformation by the year 2047.
On the Niti Aayog meeting, Sukhu said, "The issues that come up in the Niti Aayog meeting are discussed and then moved forward."
Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren attended the meeting.
Themed "Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat @2047", the 10th meeting of NITI Aayog Governing Council brings together all state chief ministers, Union Territory lieutenant governors, and key Union ministers.
This marks PM Modi’s first major interaction with state leaders since Operation Sindoor.
The council is set to discuss a roadmap for developed states as part of India’s long-term vision for 2047, encouraging states to draft inclusive, time-bound plans aligned with national goals but tailored to local needs.