Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah skips NITI Aayog meeting chaired by PM Modi in New Delhi. Here is why | Bengaluru

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah did not participate in the 10th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog held in New Delhi on Saturday. The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, focused on the theme ‘Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat @2047’ and was attended by several state leaders and Union ministers.

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A source close to the Chief Minister clarified that Siddaramaiah’s absence should not be seen as a boycott. “He had a prior commitment in Mysuru and therefore couldn’t attend the meeting in person,” the source told PTI. While Siddaramaiah did not travel to Delhi, he reportedly sent his address to be presented at the meeting. It is still unclear who would read it out on his behalf.

The Karnataka Chief Minister was not alone in missing the meeting. Chief Ministers from three other southern states also skipped the high-profile gathering. Puducherry CM N Rangasamy, who heads an NDA-led coalition in the Union Territory, was absent without any official reason disclosed. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, meanwhile, delegated Finance Minister K N Balagopal to represent him at the council.

Among the southern leaders expected to speak at the event were Andhra Pradesh’s N Chandrababu Naidu, Tamil Nadu’s M K Stalin, and Telangana’s A Revanth Reddy—all of whom were scheduled to put forward their respective agendas and state priorities.

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The NITI Aayog Governing Council serves as the apex policymaking body for cooperative federalism, bringing together state and central leadership on a common platform. Saturday’s meeting marked the first major interaction between the Prime Minister and the Chief Ministers since Operation Sindoor, which led to political tremors in the national capital and beyond.

(With PTI inputs)