New Parliament building: 13 political parties to be present in inauguration

Though major opposition parties including Congress, DMK, TMC and others decided to stay away from the inauguration ceremony on May 28 there are 15 more political parties – mostly from the ruling NDA alliance that will be present at the occasion.

New Delhi:With BJP and YSRCP deciding to attend the inauguration of the New building of the Parliament, 13 more political parties primarily from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), who are expected to attend the ceremony on May 28.

Among the parties that will be present at the inauguration are the BJP itself, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), National People's Party (NPP), Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP), Apna Dal (Soneylal), Republican Party of India (RPI), Tamil Maanila Congress, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), Mizo National Front (MNF), Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP), Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and Biju Janata Dal (BJD).

Additionally, the Indhiya Makkal Kalvi Munnetra Kazhagam (IMKMK), a Tamil Nadu-based party founded by Devanathan Yadav, is also expected to attend the opening ceremony. The controversy surrounding the inauguration of the new parliament building cropped up when 19 opposition political parties, including the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and Trinamool Congress (TMC), issued a joint statement announcing their boycott. Their main grievance was directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to inaugurate the new Parliament building instead of President Droupadi Murmu.

In response, the NDA condemned the opposition parties' decision, criticizing their historical disregard for parliamentary procedures. The NDA argued that the opposition's actions over the past nine years have consistently demonstrated a lack of respect for established protocols.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who recently concluded his three-nation tour to Japan, Papua New Guinea, and Australia, arrived at Delhi's Palam airport on Thursday. Taking a subtle dig at the opposition parties, he drew a comparison to an Indian community event he attended in Sydney. During the Sydney event, which saw the participation of thousands of Indians, PM Modi highlighted that both the Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, and former Prime Minister, along with other opposition leaders, united for the benefit of their nation.

With the opposition opting to boycott the event and the NDA criticizing their stance, the political landscape in India remains highly charged and polarized. The upcoming inauguration will serve as a platform where the attendance or absence of political parties will make a symbolic statement about their positions and priorities.