New Delhi: Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu had tried to persuade Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan to attend Thursday's foundation laying ceremony of Nagpur Metro.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of Nagpur Metro project. The event was boycotted by Chavan after he was booed at last Saturday's function in Solapur in the presence of Modi, who had then come to inaugurate a national highway project.
Naidu had called up Chavan and spoke to him in the matter, said sources close to Naidu.
"Naidu had sought to impress upon Chavan that Nagpur Metro Rail Project is a joint venture of central and Maharashtra governments and it is imperative for the Chief Minister to attend the programme as planned earlier, to send out right message," one of the sources said.
Naidu elaborated that the Prime Minister firmly believes in cooperative federalism and is keen about states playing due role in developmental initiatives with the Centre acting as a catalyst.
On Chavan's reported comments that the state government was not informed about the status of approval of Union Cabinet for Nagpur Metro Project and that he had received invitation late yesterday, the sources said Urban Development Ministry officials had been in regular contact with their counterparts in the state government.
The sources said since the Union Cabinet was to formally consider Nagpur Metro Project late Wednesday evening, it was not felt appropriate to send a formal invitation to the Chief Minister taking the Union Cabinet's approval for granted.
However, on being insisted upon, Naidu sent a formal invitation on Wednesday. The sources said Union minister Nitin Gadkari, in whose constituency the Metro Project is being taken up, had also been in touch with the state government.
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