Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan deputes K N Balagopal at PM Modi’s NITI Aayog meet

The 10th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, focused on critical issues such as the demand for a higher share and timely release of funds from the Centre to states, alongside the fair distribution of river water.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, a Marxist veteran, deputed his cabinet colleague K N Balagopal to represent the state at the meeting, highlighting Kerala's active participation despite Vijayan's absence.

Several southern leaders were notably absent: Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana—N Chandrababu Naidu, M K Stalin, and A Revanth Reddy—skipped the meeting, while Karnataka's Congress Chief Minister Siddaramaiah sent his speech to be read out due to prior engagements.

The Congress party criticized the meeting, with communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh calling it "yet another attempt at hypocrisy and diversion," questioning the vision of a "developed India" amid rising economic inequality and social disharmony.

"Demand for a higher share and timely release of funds from the Centre to the states and the fair distribution of river water dominated the 10th governing council meeting of NITI Aayog chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday."

"Marxist veteran and Kerala CM, Pinarayi Vijayan deputed his cabinet colleague K N Balagopal on his behalf."

"Three southern Chief Ministers, including from NDA-ruled Puducherry skipped the in New Delhi that was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday."

"Congress communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh said, ‘Today, the Governing Council of NITI Aayog is meeting under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister. It has been said that the progress of the so-called ‘Viksit Bharat’ goal will be reviewed in this… What kind of developed India will it be when the people in power are busy destroying the fabric of social harmony through their own words and actions?’"

The meeting underscored ongoing tensions between the Centre and states over resource allocation and governance priorities, with Kerala ensuring representation through Balagopal despite the Chief Minister's absence.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan deputed Finance Minister K N Balagopal to attend the 10th NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where states demanded higher fund shares and fair river water distribution amid notable absences of other southern leaders.