BJP questions Akhilesh's absence from NITI Aayog meet

Lucknow: The BJP here on Wednesday questioned Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's absence from the NITI Aayog meet in New Delhi, accusing the Samajwadi Party (SP) government in the state of "politicising development".

BJP state spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak said while Yadav was writing a series of letters to the union government with his demands and suggestions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when an opportunity came to deliberate upon it he opted to be absent.

"It is beyond understanding why the chief minister has skipped the NITI Aayog meeting being held today," he said.

The BJP leader further charged the state government with not being serious about development and federalism, saying had the SP leadership been serious about the matter there would have been far greater participation in the process of discussion and debate as initiated by Prime Minister Modi at various foras.

The UP chief minister has written several times in the past to the union government seeking a larger share in central funds and various other issues.