Will Sonia, Kharge ignore invitation to attend Ram Temple inauguration?

New Delhi: What Indian politics is witnessing today is beyond the usual political rivalry between the parties in power and opposition in the name of ideological differences.

The country has witnessed that when the opposition is invited to various government functions, it skips. When not, it cries foul.

Political observers believe that something similar may be on the cards with the invitation extended to opposition leaders for the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22.

Also read: Sitaram Yechury turns down Ram temple inauguration invite

Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge were invited by a delegation associated with the Ram Temple construction, including Nripendra Mishra, former principal secretary to Modi in PMO.

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust sent individual invitations to Congress's leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, CPI(M) leaders Sitaram Yechury, D Raja and heads of all political parties.

Former prime ministers Manmohan Singh and H D Deve Gowda have also received invitations for the function.

More invitations will likely be sent to other opposition leaders in the coming days.

But the big question is – will Sonia Gandhi and other opposition leaders attend the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22?

Top sources in the grand old party told NewsDrum that the senior Congress leaders may not attend the ceremony.

“It may be because they don't want to upset the Muslim community,” said one of the sources.

One of the sources quoted above told NewsDrum that Ram Temple's inauguration was also discussed in the INDIA bloc meeting held on December 19 in New Delhi.

“In fact, Yechury and Tamil Nadu chief minister and DMK chief M K Stalin wanted an opposition campaign in villages in North India to counter any benefit accruing to BJP because of Ram Temple,” the source said.

The opposition is of the view that the BJP will collect the full credit of Ram Temple and the ruling party will use it as one of its poll planks. And in such a situation, the opposition would not like to be seen on that platform, quipped a political observer quoted above.

“While Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have been seen visiting temples and performing pooja rituals before elections, Sonia Gandhi has avoided such gestures. Even during her trips to Varanasi, she skipped the Kashi Vishwanath Temple visit despite arrangements made by UP Congress leaders. However, the fierce political rivalry is the prime reason behind the planning to skip the Ram Temple inauguration," the political observer added.

On Thursday, Sonia Gandhi ignored questions about the invitation asked by reporters in the Parliament complex.

Later, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal told reporters at a press conference after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on Thursday, "You will know about the party's stand. You will know on January 22 about the participation."

"They have invited us, we are very much thankful to them for inviting us, let us (see)," he said.

Earlier, some Congress MPs such as Manik Tagore were heard saying that there are other big issues before the nation.