Sonia, Rahul to attend Modi's swearing-in; Who else would be there at the grand ceremony

New Delhi, May 29: Congress President Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi will attend the swearing-in of Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister for the second time after the BJP secured a thumping win in the Lok Sabha elections, said reports.

President Ram Nath Kovind will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the prime minister and other members of the Union Council of Ministers at a ceremony on Thursday at 7pm.

The two Congress leaders are among those invited by the prime minister to the ceremony. They have accepted the invite, a PTI report said.

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy would also attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's oath ceremony tomorrow.

"Congress party will attend the oath taking ceremony for sure. Elections were a matter between 2 ideologies, 2 parties but the oath ceremony is of a Prime Minister. PM is of the entire country. We expect him to treat all people of the country equally," said senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad.

"I have received the invitation for the PM's swearing-in ceremony tomorrow. I will attend it. We need to have a cordial relation with the central govt if Puducherry wants to move forward. This is the first step towards it," said Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy.

Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel will not able to attend to ceremony. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot will also not join his party leaders at the event.

"I want to congratulate PM Modi. Due to prior commitments, I will not be able to go for his oath ceremony tomorrow. I have sought time from PMO to meet him later," Baghel said.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen patnaik will also give the ceremony a miss. The BJD leader, who was sworn in on Wednesday, had invited Modi to Bhubaneswar. But the prime minister did not attend the event. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday had said she would be attend the ceremony, citing 'constitutional duty'. But a day later, she withdrew after the BJP invited the family of its workers killed during poll violence in the state.

The event will also be attended by leaders of political parties, Ambassadors and diplomats and celebrities from various fields. Apart from Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, senior Anand Sharma, actor Rajinikanth, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister-elect YS Jagan Mohan Reddy are among those who will also be attending the event. Steel magnate L.N. Mittal is also expected to be present.
Among those who will skip the ceremony are Mamata Banerjee, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and DMK Chief MK Stalin. Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot will also not be atteding.

The swearing-in-ceremony of Modi and his Council of Ministers is scheduled to take place on Thursday at 7 PM at Rashtrapati Bhavan. A number of heads of states, heads of governments, constitutional authorities, diplomats, senior political leaders, government officials and media persons are scheduled to attend the ceremony.