Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi and party’s Leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury will not attend the upcoming consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir in UP’s Ayodhya on January 22, the party announced on Wednesday.

The grand old party also accused the government of inaugurating the “incomplete” temple for “electoral gain” in an apparent reference to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

In a statement, Congress general secretary in-charge of communication Jairam Ramesh said, “Last month, the Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and the Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury received an invitation to attend the inauguration ceremony of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya to be held on 22nd January.

“While abiding by the 2019 Supreme Court judgment and honouring the sentiments of millions who revere Lord Ram, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have respectfully declined the invitation to what is clearly an RSS and BJP event.”

Asserting that Lord Ram is worshipped by millions across the country, he said, “Religion is a personal matter. But the RSS and BJP have long made a political project of the temple in Ayodhya.”

Ramesh, who is also the Congress’ MP in the Rajya Sabha said, “The inauguration of the incomplete temple by the leaders of the BJP and the RSS has been obviously brought forward for electoral gain.”

The statement comes days after Kharge said he had received the invitation of the consecration ceremony and would take a decision on it at the earliest.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the consecration ceremony along with Union Ministers, state chief ministers, VVIPs, leaders from several political parties and celebrities among others.

Last month, Union Home Minister Amit Shah at a programme informed that the Prime Minister will visit Ayodhya on January 22 and perform the consecration of Ram Lala in the presence of sants.