Odisha CM skips NITI Aayog meet due to 'prior engagements'

Bhubaneswar, May 27 (IANS) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik skipped the crucial Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Saturday.

Official sources said the chief minister was not able to attend the meeting due to prior engagements. Though no official statement has been released by the CMO, sources said that Patnaik had prior committed engagements to review performance of four departments on Saturday.

As his government is going to complete four years of current five-year term on May 29, Patnaik has been holding meetings since May 22 to review the performances and implementation of promises made in the election manifesto 2019.

The chief minister on Saturday reviewed the performance of Mission Shakti, Skill Development & Technical Education (SD&TE) and Tourism departments.

Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has been maintaining equidistance from both BJP and Congress. Besides, it has also already distanced itself from the possible Third Front.

Notably, the chief ministers of 10 other states including Punjab, Delhi, Telangana, Bihar, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Rajasthan and Karnataka have skipped the NITI Aayog meeting. All these states are ruled by non-BJP political parties.

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