The centre today constituted a panel with six chief ministers, headed by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to suggest measures to minimize the inconvenience to the people following demonetisation drive.

However, the choice of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi was said to be Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar to head this panel. According to sources finance minister Arun Jatily persuaded prime minister to choose Chandrababu Naidu on the plea he had already taken his consent yesterday.

It may be recalled that yesterday Chandrababu Naidu’s office had given a media leak stating that Jaitly telephoned him requesting to head the panel.This move is also being seen as a political strategy by the Centre to diffuse any possible differences with the States on the demonetisation plan and the proposed GST Law. The first meeting of the panel will be held on December 2.

Other chief ministers of the panel include Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnayak and Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy are likely to be members of the panel.

It may be recalled that Nitish Kumar is the only opposition chief minister, apart from K Chadnrasekhara Rao of Telangana who are supporting Modi’s move. According to reports Tripura and Puducherry Chief Ministers are yet to convey their consent to be part of this panel. Jaitley is trying to convince them to be part of the panel.