'Ridiculous', says Telangana Oppn after KCR skips NITI Aayog meeting

Opposition in Telangana on Saturday said Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's decision to not attend the NITI Aayog meeting in New Delhi today was a "ridiculous act".

Speaking to ANI, Senior Congress leader in Telangana Hanumantha Rao, said, "Not attending NITI Aayog meet by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is a very ridiculous act. It is a platform provided to ask and tell the centre the current status of the state and that could help to gain more funds for the development of the state. Andhra Pradesh reorganisation bill is pending, so is Biyyaram steel plant issue. And the promise of sanctioning a Tribal university is also pending."

Rao maintained that though somewhere, it was obvious that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would not attend the meeting, KCR should have attended it as Telangana needs more development in the state, which can be achieved with the assistance of the central government.

"Relation of Mamata Banerjee with the NDA government is very troublesome from the very start, so that is a justified reason for her not attending the meet, but why hasn't KCR attended the meet? People of Telangana need more development, that can be achieved with the assistance of the central government," the Congress leader said.

Echoing similar sentiments, Telangana BJP spokesperson Rakesh Reddy said it was quite unfortunate that Chief Ministers of two states - Telangana and West Bengal - did not attend the meet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in which critical decisions on farm distress, drought and security were tabled to be discussed.

"It is quite unfortunate that despite sending invitations to all the state Chief Ministers, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee have not shown up. These two people have frequently questioned the NDA government and the Prime Minister about the rights of their respective states, about the funds that they will have to receive for the state. They haven't attended the meet in which critical decisions on farm distress, drought and also security are to be taken collectively," Reddy said.

"The Centre and state are like the two wheels of the 'vikas rath'. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has initiated NITI Aayog. Niti Aayog is exceptionally great in fulfilling the demand and requests of the state in the roads of development," he added.

Banerjee, who is involved in a bitter fight with BJP and the Centre, KCR, and Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh skipped the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting convened by Modi on Saturday.

The council, which includes all chief ministers, lieutenant governors of union territories, several union ministers and senior government officials, reviews the action taken on the agenda items of the previous meeting and deliberates upon the future developmental priorities.