Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah skipping the Niti Aayog meeting last Saturday, citing “prior engagements” in his home district Mysuru, has drawn flak from the opposition parties and also the economic advisor to CM Basavaraj Rayareddi.
The chief minister who has been a vocal critic of the Centre, especially over the alleged reduction in state’s share of the tax pool, however clarified that it was not a “boycott” and the CMO had sent his speech, but no representative to read it out.
Took part in the 10th Governing Council Meeting of Niti Aayog at Bharat Mandapam. Chief Ministers, Governors and LGs from various states took part in the meeting. The theme for today’s meeting was ‘Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat@2047.’ We had a fruitful exchange of perspectives… pic.twitter.com/dnZtk6zLw3
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 24, 2025
Rayareddi was the first to express his displeasure over the CM’s absence at the meeting. “Siddaramaiah is one of the senior-most CMs in the country and an expert in public finance. So, he should have used the opportunity to reach out to the Centre,” said Rayareddi, adding that it would not repeat in future.
State BJP president and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra demanded an explanation from the CM for skipping the meeting and alleged that Siddaramaiah had prioritised “politics over development” of the state.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi had convened an important NITI Aayog meeting in Delhi to discuss the transformation of India into a developed nation by 2047, and had sought inputs from various states and their vision. While the chief ministers of non-BJP ruled states like Telangana, Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu attended the meeting, the Karnataka CM was absent and this is unfortunate. “Was it a boycott? Did the CM not feel that it was an important meeting? This is an injustice done to the state. The Congress government has prioritised politics over development by protesting against the Centre in Delhi, while skipping a significant meeting,” said Vijayendra adding that confrontation with the Centre would not benefit the state.
“The CM has been at odds with the Centre ever since he assumed office. This will not benefit the state. The CM’s stance is harming the state. He must explain to the public why he missed the meeting,” said Vijayendra.
MLC AH Vishwanath sought to know what was the “urgency” to inaugurate the Indira Canteens at Mysuru that the CM had to skip an important meeting at Delhi.
Siddaramaiah, in his X post said, “Although I couldn’t attend today’s India@2047 Summit chaired by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi, I am glad to share my thoughts on Karnataka’s role in building a just, inclusive, and developed India.”
The chief minister who has tabled at least 14 state budgets, in his speech, mentioned that Karnataka approaches the national vision with “humility and resolve”.
“We see our growth in the growth of India and in the rise of every other Indian state. We believe that a strong Union can only emerge from strong, equitable, and empowered states. Therefore, let us build a collective national vision, where the spirit of cooperative federalism is not just spoken of, but is practiced and lived,” stressed the CM.
Sharing Karnataka’s roadmap for the next 1,000 days, Siddaramaiah said his government aimed to build a state where growth is just, opportunity is universal, and governance is deeply human.
“We guarantee 100 per cent piped water to every household, fulfilling the basic right to water, will establish Karnataka as South Asia’s electric vehicle capital, anchoring green industrial leadership, strive for total digital and financial inclusion for women, placing agency and opportunity in everyhome and transform every taluk into a skill district, where every young Indian is prepared for the future of work. We plan to double the area under organic farming, expand early warning systems to all vulnerable regions, make Karnataka India’s most efficient service delivery state and advance positive discrimination for social equity,” said excerpts of the speech.
“We offer to partner with the Union Government and NITI Aayog in codifying and sharing our best practices, building toolkits, and co-developing frameworks that align with the national ambition of Bharat @2047,” he added.
Elaborating on the challenges ahead, Siddaramaiah said they were not just obstacles of resource or capacity, but challenges of distribution, inclusion, governance, and resilience.
“Despite progress, widening disparities, regional, economic, and social, continue to limit millions. Risk of digital stratification where technological advancement outpaces access is concerning. Jobless growth, underemployment, and a misalignment between education and employability can lead to social alienation and economic inefficiency. We need a national skilling architecture that is both responsive and anticipatory. Climate change being a present crisis, water scarcity, agricultural disruption, rising heatwaves, and urban pollution are already affecting livelihoods and health,” said Siddaramaiah.
Drawing attention to the need for national security, he said, “In an era of global realignments, India must remain vigilant. Challenges to territorial integrity, national security, and communal harmony require a governance model that is not only efficient but resilient and inclusive. Development without security is fragile; security without justice is untenable. These challenges demand not incremental adjustments but systemic transformation. Our responses must be grounded in evidence-based policymaking, rights-based welfare, and cooperative federalism.”
