Kerala, Karnataka CMs to skip Modi's swearing-in ceremony

Jayalalithaa, who has opposed participation of Rajapaksa, on Sunday kept up the suspense over her participation in the ceremony

Congress chief ministers of Karnataka and Kerala are not attending Narendra Modi’s swearing-in as the prime minister on Monday while there is a suspense on whether Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa will participate, amid reports that she has decided to boycott it.

In Bangalore, officials said Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will skip the oath-taking ceremony in Delhi. According to the schedule released by the chief minister’s office for Monady, Siddaramaiah will be attending several programmes in the city.

Wishing Modi the all the best, Siddaramaiah had last week hoped of cooperation from the Centre adding that irrespective of party affiliations the union government should work in accordance with the Constitution and respect the federal set up.

In Thiruvananthapuram, officials said Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy is not attending the swearing-in ceremony, citing pre-scheduled engagements in the state.    

According to officials in the chief minister’s office, Chandy had received the invitation for the ceremony but informed Modi about his inability to be present on the occasion due to “pressing” engagements in the state.     

Chandy, a senior Congress leader, will be meeting Modi during his next visit to Delhi, they said. Senior BJP leader O Rajagopal termed Chandy’s decision to skip the ceremony as “unfortunate”.    

Jayalalithaa, who has opposed participation of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, today kept up the suspense over her participation in the ceremony. There were reports that she is likely to boycott it.