Sonia not invited to Atal event, sends wishes

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 27

Known for her personal ties with former PM Atal Behari Vajpayee, Congress president Sonia Gandhi had to stay away from the event held today to mark the presentation of Bharat Ratna to the veteran leader.

The reason: The BJP government failed to send her an invitation. “The Congress president did not attend the ceremony because she was not invited,” said a top Congress leader adding that the non-invitation of the president of India’s oldest political party and the principal Opposition party was the best display of the “parochial vision” of the government. The Congress leaders invited to the function were Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge.

Officially, the Congress remained non-committal on on her absence though sources close to her confirmed that she was not in receipt of an invitation. Later, Sonia sent her congratulatory letter to Vajpayee saying the award was a fitting recognition to his statesmanship, wisdom and deep commitment to national interest during his Prime Ministership.