Senior BJP leader Pralhad Joshi, in a late night call on Saturday, invited Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony, set to take place on Sunday.

According to sources, Joshi called Kharge late last night and invited him to attend the ceremony.

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However, no decision has been taken on Kharge’s participation in the swearing-in ceremony after the last minute invite, the sources added.

Modi and his Council of Ministers will take oath at 7:15 PM today. Leaders from neighbouring countries, including Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina, Maldives President Droupadi Mohamed Muizzu and Nepal PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachand’, have been invited for the swearing-in ceremony.

The participation of the Opposition leaders in the swearing-in ceremony is doubtful after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee publicly refused to attend the ceremony.

CM Banerjee Saturday said that while she has not been invited for the ceremony, TMC will not attend the same even if they receive the invitation.

“We have not got an invitation yet. Even if we do, we will not attend the ceremony,” Banerjee said after meeting the newly elected MPs of her party.

“This government is being formed undemocratically and unconstitutionally. We cannot give our best wishes to this government. We give our best wishes to the country and the people of the country,” she added.

Modi-led BJP failed to get the majority in the recently held Lok Sabha elections 2024. However, the BJP-led NDA crossed the magic numbers required to form the government.

The NDA government is being formed with the support from smaller allies, including Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP and Nitish Kumar’s JDU – who both were once Opposed to Modi.