NEW DELHI: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar , who is a key NDA ally, was among several opposition-ruled state leaders who skipped the 10th Niti Aayog governing council meeting in New Delhi on Saturday. His absence has fueled political speculation , especially with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to Bihar ahead of the assembly elections due this year.
The high-level meeting, chaired by PM Modi at Bharat Mandapam, focused on the theme ‘Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat@2047’ and brought together chief ministers, lieutenant governors, and Union ministers to chart out development strategies .
However, Nitish Kumar’s absence stood out, especially since he heads a government aligned with the BJP.
Among the states that skipped the meeting were Karnataka, Kerala, West Bengal, Bihar, and Puducherry, Niti Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam said, according to PTI.
Nitish Kumar's decision to skip the high-level meeting has sparked political speculation, with Congress and RJD leaders calling it "unfortunate" and suggesting it may carry a deeper political message.
Senior Congress leader Tariq Anwar called the move "significant," noting that "his decision to skip it sends a major political message," especially when the meeting was chaired by the Prime Minister himself, according to IANS.
RJD leader Manoj Jha said that Kumar's absence from the meeting suggests that "others are deciding his priorities these days."
Speaking to PTI, Jha said, "The NITI Aayog meeting is happening at a critical juncture. We heard that Bihar CM is not attending, his priorities are set by other people these days. The GDP size is a myth if it is not reflected in every home, the development would be hollow."
"We also hope for 'nafrat-mukt' (hatred-free) Bharat... The situation is Bihar is like there is no pilot, and auto-pilot has gone defunct," Jha further added.
There has been no official explanation for Nitish Kumar's absence, and the exact reason for his missing the meeting remains unclear.
This isn’t the first time Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has skipped a Niti Aayog meeting. He was absent from the 2023 Governing Council meeting as well. In 2024, he again chose not to attend, with Bihar being represented instead by deputy chief ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha.
The council is the apex body of the Niti Ayog, which includes chief ministers, lieutenant governors of all states and Union territories along with several Union ministers. This was the first major meeting of the PM with chief ministers of all states and lieutenant governors after US President Donald Trump announced reciprocal tariffs and Operation Sindoor.
Despite the absence of some states, the meeting went ahead with participation from several state heads.
PM Modi began the Niti Aayog meeting by advocating for joint development initiatives between the Centre and states. He stressed the importance of developing cities that are prepared for the future, considering India's growing urbanisation.
“India is getting rapidly urbanised. We should work towards future-ready cities. Growth, innovation, and sustainability should be the engines of urban development,” the Prime Minister said.
Highlighting the theme of “Team India,” PM Modi added, “We have to increase the speed of development. If the Centre and all States come together and work as a team, no goal is impossible.”
The Prime Minister encouraged states to enhance tourism, recommending that each state should establish one internationally recognised tourist destination.
“One State: One Global Destination should be our mantra. It will not only elevate that location but also lead to the development of surrounding areas,” he added.
The Niti Aayog governing council meeting is a platform for the Centre and states/UTs to discuss how to work together to achieve the goal of a developed India by 2047. It focuses on building consensus on how each state can contribute to the country’s overall progress.
The high-level meeting, chaired by PM Modi at Bharat Mandapam, focused on the theme ‘Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat@2047’ and brought together chief ministers, lieutenant governors, and Union ministers to chart out development strategies .
However, Nitish Kumar’s absence stood out, especially since he heads a government aligned with the BJP.
Among the states that skipped the meeting were Karnataka, Kerala, West Bengal, Bihar, and Puducherry, Niti Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam said, according to PTI.
Nitish Kumar's decision to skip the high-level meeting has sparked political speculation, with Congress and RJD leaders calling it "unfortunate" and suggesting it may carry a deeper political message.
Senior Congress leader Tariq Anwar called the move "significant," noting that "his decision to skip it sends a major political message," especially when the meeting was chaired by the Prime Minister himself, according to IANS.
RJD leader Manoj Jha said that Kumar's absence from the meeting suggests that "others are deciding his priorities these days."
Speaking to PTI, Jha said, "The NITI Aayog meeting is happening at a critical juncture. We heard that Bihar CM is not attending, his priorities are set by other people these days. The GDP size is a myth if it is not reflected in every home, the development would be hollow."
"We also hope for 'nafrat-mukt' (hatred-free) Bharat... The situation is Bihar is like there is no pilot, and auto-pilot has gone defunct," Jha further added.
There has been no official explanation for Nitish Kumar's absence, and the exact reason for his missing the meeting remains unclear.
This isn’t the first time Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has skipped a Niti Aayog meeting. He was absent from the 2023 Governing Council meeting as well. In 2024, he again chose not to attend, with Bihar being represented instead by deputy chief ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha.
The council is the apex body of the Niti Ayog, which includes chief ministers, lieutenant governors of all states and Union territories along with several Union ministers. This was the first major meeting of the PM with chief ministers of all states and lieutenant governors after US President Donald Trump announced reciprocal tariffs and Operation Sindoor.
Despite the absence of some states, the meeting went ahead with participation from several state heads.
PM Modi began the Niti Aayog meeting by advocating for joint development initiatives between the Centre and states. He stressed the importance of developing cities that are prepared for the future, considering India's growing urbanisation.
“India is getting rapidly urbanised. We should work towards future-ready cities. Growth, innovation, and sustainability should be the engines of urban development,” the Prime Minister said.
Highlighting the theme of “Team India,” PM Modi added, “We have to increase the speed of development. If the Centre and all States come together and work as a team, no goal is impossible.”
The Prime Minister encouraged states to enhance tourism, recommending that each state should establish one internationally recognised tourist destination.
“One State: One Global Destination should be our mantra. It will not only elevate that location but also lead to the development of surrounding areas,” he added.
The Niti Aayog governing council meeting is a platform for the Centre and states/UTs to discuss how to work together to achieve the goal of a developed India by 2047. It focuses on building consensus on how each state can contribute to the country’s overall progress.
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