How many parties attending new Parliament’s inauguration, how many absent? What numbers say

Sunday’s inauguration ceremony of the new Parliament building is underway, and is being attended by members of as many as 25 political parties, including the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

On the other hand, the country’s principal opposition party, the Congress, and 19 other ‘like-minded’ opposition parties, are not attending the event. Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM, too, is boycotting the opening of the new Parliament building; it was, however, not included by the Congress-led opposition in a joint letter announcing their decision to boycott the function.

Why are some parties are boycotting?

They have objected to prime minister Narendra Modi, and not President Droupadi Murmu, inaugurating the facility. According to them, the President, as the head of the state, must do the honours. As she has not been invited, the parties decided to skip the ceremony, accusing the Narendra Modi government of ‘disrespecting’ the President’s chair. The BJP has rubbished the charge.

Who all are attending?

Of the 25 parties in attendance, several are not from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). These are the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Janata Dal (Secular), Telugu Desam Party (TDP), and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP).

Who are not attending, besides Congress and AIMIM?

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Shiv Sena (UBT), Samajwadi Party (SP), Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Kerala Congress (Mani),Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Trinamool Congress (TMC), Janata Dal (United), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), National Conference (NC), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK).

Total Parliament strength of attending parties

Of the 539 Lok Sabha members, 382 will witness the historic ceremony, including 301 from the BJP alone. From the 238-seat Rajya Sabha, on the other hand, 131 will be present, of whom 93 are from the BJP alone. The 131 members also include the 5 nominated members: Ranjan Gogoi (former Chief Justice of India), PT Usha (retired athletics legend), Ilaiyaraaja (legendary musician), Dharmasthala Veerenedra Heggade (renowned philanthrophist), and V Vijayendra Prasad (noted film director-screenwriter).

Total Parliament strength of absent parties