The Congress party high command is facing a challenge after rejecting the Ayodhya program invitation

Congress party attempt to delink its politics from religion by rejecting the invitation to attend the pran pratistha of Lord Ram’s idol at the newly built temple in Ayodhya, the grand old party facing questions on party's stance on other religion.

Despite the statement from the top leadership, opinions are divided among patry's leaders. A section of the party leaders, other than Karnataka state, was keen to attend the event; a senior leader argued that the “the absence of the principal Opposition party will allow the BJP to target us as anti-Hindu and use it to polarise the electorate”.

As per sources, many senior leaders from Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh have expressed their interest to attend the mega event.

Party president Mallikarjun Kharge, chairperson of the Parliamentary party, Sonia Gandhi, and the party‘s leader in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, were among those invited to the grand ceremony which will be celebrated nation wide on January 22.

While declining the invitation through a statement, issued by communication chief Jairam Ramesh, the party made the following points: the temple project was a long-standing “political project” of the Bharatiya Janata Party-Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh; an “incomplete” temple is being inaugurated for electoral gains; Lord Ram was worshipped by millions but religion was a personal matter.