Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan has been denied an appointment with PM Modi reportedly the fourth time in a row. According to reports, the Kerala CM was trying to meet the PM with an all-party delegation to discuss disparities in ration allocations to the state.
The PMO office has, however, responded to the Kerala CM’s request, saying that they can meet Food and Public Distributions Minister Ram Vilas Paswan to discuss their concerns. Vijayan had reportedly sought to meet the PM last week too but was unable to get an appointment.
According to reports, Pinarayi Vijayan had, on two earlier instances denied appointment to meet the PM. On March 20, 2017, he had reportedly sought an appointment with the PM to discuss budget allocations for the state. Before that, he had tried to meet the PM on November 24, 2016, a week after demonetisation was announced.
The Kerala CM is currently at the national capital to attend a CPI(M) central committee meeting.
It is notable here that on Sunday, the Prime Minister had chaired the NITI Ayog governing council meeting at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The Chief Ministers of most of the states, including Vijayan, Lieutenant Governors of union territories and senior central government officials were present at that meeting.
Before that, the PM was seen unofficially greeting Pinarayi Vijayan, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy and Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu.
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West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee had claimed after that unofficial greeting that she along with the CMs of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka had urged the PM to intervene in the then on-going dharna of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and resolve the issues.