West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is harbouring dreams of being the Prime Minister in general elections coming up in 2019, will not be attending the NITI Aayog meeting to discuss country’s development agenda for ‘New India 2022’ which is to be chaired by Prime Minister Modi on 16th June because it is scheduled on Eid-ul-Fitr. The council also plans to chalk out details for the celebration of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary.

“I am not going to the NITI Aayog meeting. It has been called on the day of Eid-ul-Fitr. I don’t go out of the state during the festival days. There is a national holiday on the occasion of Eid,” quoted the Times of India. She said that all festivals are important for her and she does not leave her people on festivals. However, she did not say anything on whether she is open to changing her plans in case date of Eid changes following the sighting of the moon. She further added that no one will represent her at the meeting either.

This is not the first time Banerjee is skipping the NITI Aayog meet. Earlier in April 2017, Banerjee and her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal had skipped the NITI Aayog’s Governing Council meet. She had stayed away earlier also when NITI Aayog’s Governing Council met to discuss various issues including Land Bill.