State health minister Suryakanta Mishra will lead the delegation of the state government in the meeting of chief ministers of seven Naxal-affected states convened by the Centre on July 14 at New Delhi. Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who was supposed to participate in the meeting, would not attend it.
Sources at the chief minister’s office (CMO) said, “It is not possible for the chief minister to attend the meeting since he will have to be present in the Assembly on July 15 during the discussion on the budget allocation for the information and cultural affairs department, which is under his portfolio.” Mr Mishra, who is entrusted in the state CPI(M) with the responsibility to look after the Naxal-related issues, will head the delegation.
Besides Mr Mishra, state home secretary Samar Ghosh and director general of police Bhupinder Singh will also attend the meeting.