Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and PWD Minister Satyendar Jain were also present as military contingents, dance troupes and tableaux from various states rolled down the majestic Rajpath.
The seating arrangements of several other top leaders like Congress President Sonia Gandhi and BJP President Amit Shah also came under focus of roving TV cameras.
Sonia and Shah were seated in the same row, with a gap of two seats between the two, as they cheered the marching contingents, esecially young cadets from the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and boisterous cultural performances.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chief Justice of India T S Thakur sat next to each other in the front row of the VIP enclosure.
Meanwhile, Delhi, which last showcased a tableau in 2013 parade, did not have one this year too.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had triggered a political controversy last year by claiming that Kejriwal had not been invited to attend the parade which had US President Barack Obama as the Chief Guest. The allegations had come amidst a bitter electoral battle being fought then.
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