PM Modi to meet all BJP CMs; presidential polls, pro-poor policies in focus

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet all the 13 chief ministers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled states and five deputy chief ministers. 

The meeting is expected to discuss the party’s preparations for the upcoming Presidential polls, besides the need for BJP-ruled state governments to implement pro-poor policies more effectively. 

The electoral college for the election of the President comprises elected members of both Houses of Parliament and elected members of all the legislative assemblies. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is marginally short of the majority mark and hopes to cross the line comfortably with the support of some of the regional parties. 

The meeting will also be attended by senior union Cabinet ministers Rajnath Singh, M Venkaiah Naidu, Sushma Swaraj and Nitin Gadkari. This is the second such meeting. The first was held in August 2016.