NEW DELHI: Former Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh will not attend the official banquet hosted by President
Ram Nath Kovind in honour of US President
Donald Trump on February 25, sources said.
Singh had earlier accepted the invite but expressed his inability to attend the same on Monday.
He has conveyed his regret to the President's office for not being able to attend the banquet, sources close to Singh said.
The opposition Congress is peeved at the Modi
government's move to not allow its top leaders a meeting with the visiting US president, as has been the tradition.
Congress leader in
Lok Sabha Adhir
Ranjan Chowdhury is also skipping the President's banquet in protest over the party's top leaders not being extended an invitation.