Parliament Building Inauguration: Which Parties Are Attending? Who All Are Boycotting? Check List

New Parliament Inauguration: Seven non-NDA parties, which together account for 50 MPs in the Lok Sabha, will attend the inauguration of the new Parliament building by PM Modi,

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Opposition MPs during a joint press conference

Source : PTI

In a morale booster for the government, as many as seven non-NDA parties have decided to attend the inauguration of the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday. Altogether, 25 political parties, mostly members of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), will attend the ceremony.

On the other hand, 20 Opposition parties have decided to boycott the event, saying they find no value in a new building when the "soul of democracy has been sucked out".

The Opposition parties have also argued that the inauguration by PM Narendra Modi by "sidelining" President Droupadi Murmu constituted a "grave insult and direct assault on democracy".

READ | New Parliament Inauguration Ceremony To Start At 7.30 AM With Pooja. Check Full Schedule

Which Non-NDA Parties Are Attending The Parliament Building Inauguration?

The BSP, Shiromani Akali Dal, Janata Dal (Secular), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), YSR Congress, BJD and TDP are the seven non-NDA parties likely to attend event.

These seven parties together account for 50 MPs in the Lok Sabha and their presence will somewhat help the NDA downplay the Opposition's charge that the inauguration of the new building by PM Modi was "all about I, ME, MYSELF".

JD(S) supremo and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda decided to attend the ceremony, saying the building was constructed from taxpayers' money and was not a "BJP or RSS office". 

"That magnificent building was built with the tax money of the people of the country. It belongs to the country. It is not a BJP or RSS office," PTI quoted Gowda as saying.

Another non-NDA party leader, Mayawati of BSP said the boycott of the inauguration of the new Parliament building by Opposition parties was "unfair". However, she said she would not be able to attend the event due to some other commitments.

Among The NDA, Which Parties Are Attending?

Apart from the BJP, 18 NDA members will be present for the event. They are Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), National People's Party, Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party, Sikkim Krantikari Morcha, Jannayak Janata Party, AIDMK, IMKMK, AJSU, RPI, Mizo National Front, Tamil Maanila Congress, ITFT (Tripura), Bodo People's Party, Pattali Makkal Kacchi, MGP, Apna Dal and AGP.

Which Parties Are Boycotting The Inauguration?

Twenty Opposition parties have decided to boycott the event. They are Congress, Trinamool Congress (TMC), DMK, Janata Dal (United), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Samajwadi Party (SP), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Communist Party of India (CPI), Muslim League, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), National Conference, Kerala Congress (M), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and AIMIM.

Earlier this week, 19 parties released a joint statement, saying Prime Minister Modi's decision to inaugurate the new Parliament building by himself and "completely sidelining President Droupadi Murmu" was not only a grave insult but a direct assault on our democracy.

"When the soul of democracy has been sucked out from Parliament, we find no value in a new building. We announce our collective decision to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building," the statement said.

"We will continue to fight - in letter, in spirit, and in substance - against this 'authoritarian' prime minister and his government, and take our message directly to the people of India," the Opposition parties said.