Some states rain on the Make In India parade

MUMBAI: Its stated aim was to showcase the strengths of India and its various states to foreign and domestic visitors. But, did political acrimony cast a long shadow over the glitzy six-day Make in India event that concluded here on Thursday?

The bitter ness between national parties, especially between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the Opposition, may have resulted in a diminished response.

The event was an initiative by the Union commerce ministry following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s clarion call to global manufacturers to manufacture in India. It was supposed to be a platform for states to woo investors.

However, the event saw good participation mostly from BJP-ruled states. The response from other states ranged from lukewarm to outright no-shows. Of the 29 states, only 17 actually set up pavilions. Of the 17, nine are ruled by the BJP and its allies.

Notable by their absence were Bihar, West Bengal and Jammu & Kashmir, though all three have been aggressively scouting for investment. None of the north-eastern states participated either.

And highly industrialised Tamil Nadu was represented only by its industries commissioner; neither chief minister J Jayalalithaa nor any of her ministers turned up.

In fact, only eight chief min- isters put in an appearance; and Odisha’s Naveen Patnaik was the only one who wasn’t from the BJP.

Even from the BJP, Rajasthan’s Vasundhara Raje was absent. Punjab’s chief minister did not come either, though the BJP shares power with the Akali Dal.

CONTINUED ON P8

RELATED REPORTS, P2

PRATHAM GOKHALE/ HT Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis (centre) on the last day of Make In India week at BKC on Thursday.