Tomorrow's CMs meeting on NCTC expected to be fiery

New Delhi, May 4: The Centre will try its best to get a nod from Chief Ministers to set up the controversial anti-terror hub NCTC at tomorrow's crucial meeting which is expected to witness fiery scenes.

Non-Congress Chief Ministers such as Odisha's Naveen Patnaik, Tamil Nadu's J Jayalalithaa and Gujarat's Narendra Modi are likely to oppose the formation of the National Counter Terrorism Centre at the Chief Ministers' conference despite the Centre's assurance that state governments will be taken into confidence before any operation is conducted in any state.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister P Chidambaram are expected to allay the apprehensions of some of the Chief Ministers who had opposed the NCTC saying it would encroach upon the states' powers and hurt the federal structure of the country.

Sources said UPA ally and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may lower their opposition and are likely to come on board for setting up the NCTC. Earlier this week, the Home Minister had said the draft of the two SOPs for operating the NCTC were circulated to the states and they would allay many apprehensions of the Chief Ministers who have expressed their concerns.

"I think if the Chief Ministers will read (the SOPs), I believe they will read, much of the doubts will be dissolved and at the (May 5) meeting if they have any suggestion on the SOPs, we are willing to listen to those suggestions, incorporate as many as possible", Chidambaram had said, adding that fighting terrorism was a shared responsibility of the states and the Centre.

PTI