Hyderabad: The BJP’s national co-in-charge for Tamil Nadu, Dr. Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy, questioned the decision of Tamil Nadu and Telangana Chief Ministers, MK Stalin and A Revanth Reddy, to boycott the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting scheduled for July 27.
He said the boycott raises doubts about the Tamil Nadu CM’s goals since the NITI Aayog meeting is important for addressing the needs of the State and promoting development.
Both CMs claim they decided to boycott because the budget speech did not mention their States by name and due to a perceived unfair treatment by the Centre, including withholding funds and necessary permissions.
Dr. Reddy described the decision as an overreaction stemming from a misunderstanding of the budget and the Finance Ministry’s intentions.
He explained that the Finance Ministry manages the nation’s finances, including budgeting, economic policy, and financial regulations, to promote economic growth and stability. He added that during the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government from 2004 to 2014, Tamil Nadu was often not mentioned in budget speeches.
Dr. Reddy pointed out that Tamil Nadu received ten times more from budget announcements of the Union government from 2014 to 2024 under the BJP, compared to the UPA years.
He emphasized that the NITI Aayog meeting, chaired by PM Narendra Modi, aims to address State needs and promote development for the welfare of people.
Boycotting such a platform while claiming concern for people’s welfare raises the question of who will represent their State. Boycotts by Opposition-led States, including Tamil Nadu and Telangana, seem driven by political motives and personal animosity towards Modi. These actions might mislead people into believing that only States mentioned in the budget speech will receive benefits.
