NEW DELHI: Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi would attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi ’s swearing-in programme but Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee is set to give it a miss.

While Congress suffered a humiliating defeat in the 2019 election, BJP gave TMC a close run in West Bengal by finishing with 18 seats, just four behind the ruling party in the state.

Though Mamata had earlier announced her plan to attend the swearing-in event, BJP’s decision to invite the “victims” of political violence in the state for the Rashtrapati Bhavan programme angered the CM who views it as a continuing saffron bid to embarrass her on the national stage.

Instead, Banerjee will hold a sit-in protest at Naihati in her home state, demanding that 500 of her displaced party workers be allowed to return home, signalling a return to her fierce street-fighter days of the 90s. Political acrimony was also the reason behind Banerjee staying away from the oath in 2014.

“It was my plan to accept the constitutional invitation and attend the oath-taking ceremony. However, in the last one hour, I am seeing media reports that the BJP are claiming 54 people have been murdered in political violence in Bengal. This is completely untrue. There have been no political murders in Bengal.... So, I am sorry, Narendra Modi Ji, this has compelled me not to attend the ceremony. The ceremony is an august occasion to celebrate democracy, not one that should be devalued by any political party,” Banerjee tweeted.

On the other hand, Congress would be represented in full force at the oath-taking ceremony. Besides the Gandhis, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad would also be present.Congress is in a disarray after the 2019 decimation, with Rahul Gandhi Saturday offering to resign as party chief and disappearing from public view over last five days.

Though state units and party leaders have urged him to continue, he has not yet revisited his plan. Meanwhile, Congress parliamentary party is likely to meet on Friday where, besides the usual uplifting words from the leadership, it may also unveil its new leader in Lok Sabha .

The party leader in the last Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge , has lost the election.



In Video: Sonia, Manmohan to attend PM Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony