NEW DELHI: Congress president
Rahul Gandhi is set to hold an iftar on Wednesday, one that is likely to become a gathering of “like-minded” opposition parties and leaders. Former President
Pranab Mukherjee is being invited to the event.
The news of the invite to Mukherjee came after speculation on television channels that Congress had decided to leave him out of the guest list.
The buzz came in the light of Mukherjee’s recent visit to the RSS headquarters which triggered unease in Congress.
‘Pranab office has said he’ll attend iftar’
Party sources initially did not deny Mukherjee wasn’t invited, with some leaders speculating he had probably been left out since he’s a former President. “That is the reason why an invite was not extended even to former vice-president Hamid Ansari,” one of them had said.
Others had counselled caution. “Please wait. It has been only a day since the iftar was finalised. We will make every invitation public.”
Later, however, sources said Mukherjee was indeed being invited and that his office had confirmed he would be joining the event at Taj Palace hotel on Wednesday. Speculation had gained salience on TV channels with BJP jumping into the fray to attack Congress.
AICC spokesman Randeep Surjewala said, “Multiple media houses have raised questions on iftar invite to @CitiznMukherjee on behalf of Congress president. Congress president has extended an invite to Pranab Mukherjee and he has graciously accepted. Hope this will set to rest unwarranted speculation.”
A senior functionary said the decision on inviting “a former President” was left for “a personal invite from the Congress chief ” which took time.
File photo of Pranab Mukherjee