Have Ayodhya Invites Put Sonia & Kharge In A Fix?

Exactly a month from now the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Temple in Ayodhya would have been inaugurated by PM Modi on January 22. Yet, what  is really making news is that if those being left out of the event — like Uddhav Thackeray are complaining about being missing from the guest list, it seems those included  like Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and  Mallikarjun Kharge, are not too happy about receiving  the invites. The two leaders received the invites personally from Nripendra Misra, former principal secretary to PM Modi and chairman of the temple construction committee of Shri Ram Janmboomi Teerth Trust. Have the Ayodhya invites put the Congress leaders in a fix? Probably. That is because neither Sonia nor Kharge are known to patronise temples or are practising Hindus. Lok Sabha MP Adhir Choudhury too has been invited. When asked whether any of their leaders would be at Ayodhya, party functionary KC Venugopal curtly replied, “You will know about the party’s stand… on January 22.” Party sources said the Congress leadership seems to be guided by the Left Parties and the DMK which want to mobilise counter opinion against Ram temple. However, at the CWC meeting Kerala leader Ramesh Chennithala who took a strong position in the Sabarimala Temple issue and forced the CPI(M)to  change its stand, suggested that the Congress ought to form a panel to assess mood within the party. He felt any move against the Ram temple could cost party votes in the North. Brushing aside such fears a CWC member said,”Ram temple will matter only in UP. In Bihar, we tackle Ram with caste census.”