Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar has stated that he has not received an invitation for the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya scheduled for January 22.
Pawar remarked, “I have not been invited to the inauguration of Ram Temple… BJP is doing politics in the name of Ram temple… The ruling party does not have any concrete program to garner people’s support, so it seems they are trying to create a different opinion.”
He further questioned whether the BJP is using the issue for political or commercial purposes, expressing happiness about the temple’s construction and acknowledging contributions from many individuals.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) faction, an ally of Pawar-led NCP, declared that it does not need an invitation for party president Uddhav Thackeray to visit Ayodhya for the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony, asserting, “We are in Ayodhya before you (the BJP).”
There is a division within the opposition ‘INDIA’ bloc on whether to attend the ceremony, with the Trinamool Congress and Communist Party of India (Marxist) having different stances. The Congress has thanked the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust for the invitation but has not disclosed its decision on attending the ceremony.
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Actor and DMDK Founder ‘Captain’ Vijayakanth Passes Away in Chennai
Captain Vijayakanth, actor and founder of the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) party, has passed away in Chennai. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences, recalling his interactions and fond memories with Vijayakanth.
