New Delhi: Former prime ministers Manmohan Singh and HD Deve Gowda will not attend the G20 dinner hosted by President Droupadi Murmu for world leaders on Saturday due to “health reasons”.
Sources said former prime ministers and Chief ministers, including opposition-ruled states among others, have been invited to the gala dinner.
Both Singh and Deve Gowda have conveyed to the central government about their inability to attend the dinner. “I wish the G20 summit a grand success”, Gowda said on X.
Trinamool chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has confirmed their presence at the event. According to sources, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann are also likely to attend the G20 dinner.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is also coming to the national capital on September 9 to attend the President’s dinner, his close aides confirmed. There are also reports that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may also attend the dinner.
Meanwhile, Congress sources said Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of the Opposition, who is equivalent to a Union minister rank and holds a constitutional position, has not been invited to the dinner.
Asked about Kharge not being invited to the G20 dinner, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, “They have decided not to invite the Leader of the Opposition, it tells you something.”
