Amid opposition's boycott call, BJD, YSRP to attend inauguration of new parliament building

Even as most of the opposition parties decided to stay away from the inauguration ceremony of the new parliament building scheduled on May 28, the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and the YSR Congress Party in Andhra Pradesh said they will attend the event.

As many as 19 opposition parties, including the Congress, have issued a joint statement stating that they would boycott the inauguration, with the primary reason being Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to inaugurate the new building by himself by allegedly completely sidelining President Droupadi Murmu.

In a statement issued on Wednesday evening, BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanti said both the President of India and the parliament are symbols of Indian democracy and their authority and stature should always be safe guarded.

“The BJD believes that Constitutional institutions should be above any issue which may affect their sanctity and honour. Such issues can always be debated later in the august house. Hence the BJD shall be a part of this momentous occasion,” Mohanti said.

Earlier in the day, the Odisha Congress had asked Patnaik to exert pressure on the Centre to allow the country's first tribal President, Murmu, who is from Odisha, to inaugurate the new Parliament building.

YSRP leader and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy said his party will attend the ceremony and also noted that boycotting such an auspicious event is not in the true spirit of democracy.

"In the true spirit of democracy, my party will attend this historic event," tweeted Reddy, congratulating the prime minister for dedicating a “grand, majestic and spacious” parliament building to the nation.

Being the temple of democracy, parliament reflects the country's soul and belongs to the people and all political parties, Reddy said while urging the opposition parties, who decided to boycott the event, to set aside the political differences.

The Congress and other opposition parties maintained that Modi inaugurating the new parliament building, instead of President Murmu, is an insult to the highest constitutional office.

NDA's counterattack

The National Democratic Alliance on Wednesday issued a statement, saying the opposition's decision to boycott the event is a "blatant affront to democratic ethos and constitutional values of our great nation".

In the statement, leaders of 14 parties of the ruling alliance also implored the opposition parties to reconsider their decision and said the people of India will not forget their "egregious insult to our democracy and to their elected representatives" if they go ahead with their stand.