AAP, TMC distance themselve from Centre's delegation heading to Vatican

A sharp political divide will be on display at the Mother Teresa's canonization ceremony at the Vatican on September 4, as both West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will not be a part of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj-led Government of India official delegation, but will go separately.

Trinamool Congress sources told ANI that the Head of Missionaries of Charity Sister Prema personally invited Mamata for ceremony to be held on September 4.

The Trinamool delegation to Vatican will comprise of Banerjee, Derek O' Brien, Sudip Bandopadhyay and two senior officials from the West Bengal government.

Similarly, sources at the office of the Delhi Chief Minister said that they too had received a personal invitation from the Missionaries of Charity and added that so far there is no communication or request from the centre to join the official delegation.

Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs said that the Indian delegation will be led bySwaraj. The composition of the delegation is presently being finalised.

In March this year, Pope Francis had announced that Mother Teresa would be canonised ceremony on September 4 on the eve of her 19th death anniversary.