In a recent meeting with state Congress leaders, Mallikarjun Kharge conveyed that the Congress high command has given approval to party leaders interested in attending the inauguration ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22, as per sources informed India Today TV.
The Congress high command conducted a meeting with its state unit leaders at the party headquarters in Delhi on Thursday, preceding discussions about seat-sharing with other opposition allies in the INDIA bloc. During this meeting, the topic of the Ram Mandir inauguration arose, particularly as Congress leaders from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar sought clarity from the high command regarding their participation in the ceremony.
Sources revealed that Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress President, indicated that the invitation extended to him and Sonia Gandhi took into account their respective positions in Parliament as the Leader of the Opposition (Rajya Sabha) and Chairperson of the Congress parliamentary board. Kharge clarified that the party had no directive for its leaders, and anyone wishing to offer prayers at the temple was free to do so.
According to sources, Ajay Rai, the Congress Uttar Pradesh unit president, and Akhilesh Prasad Singh, the Bihar unit chief, are considering visiting the Ram Mandir on January 20 and 21, respectively.
Congress sources emphasized the necessity of this move to counter the perceived 'politicization' of the inauguration ceremony by the BJP. This comes as top Congress leaders, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are expected to attend the event.
Alok Kumar, the Working President of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), noted that invitations for the inauguration of the Ram Mandir on January 22 have been sent to senior Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.
