Political News: Three heavy-weight CMs of Opposition-ruled Southern States keep off Amit Shah’s Tirupathi meet

Three heavy-weight chief ministers of the Opposition-ruled southern states were absent at the southern zonal council meeting, chaired by Union Home & Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, at Tirupathi in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday.

Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin (DMK), Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan (CPI-M) and Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao (TRS) did not show up at the well-publicized, high-profile event. Rao, reports said, stayed away due to `political reasons’.

Those present were YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, chief minister of the host state Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai and Puducherry chief minister N Rangaswamy, and Lt Governors of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Puducherry and Lakshadweep. The BJP rules in Karnataka, and is part of the ruling coalition in Puducherry.

According to a Union Government’s statement, zonal councils provide a platform to foster collaboration among zonal states through a structured mechanism for dialogue and discussion on a continuous basis on the issues affecting two or more states or the Centre and States in the spirit that strong states make a strong nation.

“Zonal councils are advisory bodies in nature and yet we have been able to successfully solve many issues. This platform provides an opportunity for interaction at the highest level amongst members,” Shah tweeted soon after the Sunday’s meet, and added, “40 out of 51 pending issues were resolved in the context of today’s meeting.” He emphasised on using the platform of Zonal Council for dispute resolving and promoting cooperative federalism.

“The ancient culture, traditions and languages of our Southern states enrich India’s culture and ancient legacy. We cannot imagine India’s development without the very important contribution of our Southern part,” Shah tweeted.

The zonal councils take up issues involving centre and states and one or many States falling in the zone. The zonal councils, thus, provide a forum for resolving disputes and irritants between Centre and States and among many States in the Zone. The Zonal Councils discuss a broad range of issues which include boundary related disputes, security, infrastructure related matters like road, transport, industries, water, and power etc., matters pertaining to forests & environment, housing, education, food security, tourism and transport etc.

Five zonal councils were set up in 1957 under Section 15-22 of the States Re-organization Act, 1956. Union Home Minister is the Chairman of each of these five zonal councils and Chief Ministers of the host State (to be chosen by rotation every year) is the Vice-Chairman. Two ministers from each state are nominated as members by the Governor.