Thursday’s meeting marked the first occasion when chief ministers of all 28 states attended the Niti Aayog governing council deliberations with CMs steering clear of any political rancour, marking a sharp departure from boycotts and absences in the 10 previous meetings.Officials present in the meeting said that the discussions were held in a very cordial manner with no political issues being flagged and defence minister Rajnath Singh even commented on the positive mood.From Congress-governed Kerala, Kartanakta, Himachal Pradesh and Telangana to AAP-governed Punjab, CMs cutting across party lines were present at the meeting where NDA had its strongest ever presence. The participation of Karnataka’s new CM D K Shivakumar marked a significant shift in the state’s approach, ending a boycott by the previous Congress administration.In the past, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karntaka’s differences with the Centre, which were political in nature, spilled over into Niti Aayog meetings. In 2024, as many as 10 CMs were absent from the meeting, while nine had stayed away in 2023.Niti Aayog officials said 20 states have already prepared their Viksit State roadmap and 10 more will be ready in the next few months. “The big takeaway was reaffirmation by all states to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat,” another official added.
