BRICS dinner: Opposition parties' CMs skip event
What's the story
The recent BRICS leaders' dinner hosted by the Indian government was attended by several chief ministers of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled and allied states. Official sources confirmed to The Times of India that chief ministers from opposition parties were invited but chose not to attend. Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, who had accepted the invitation on September 12, later informed that he couldn't make it due to "unavoidable circumstances."
Absentees list
Other prominent leaders who missed BRICS dinner
Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan and Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar also skipped the BRICS dinner. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay was abroad during the event.
Notably, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi were not invited to the dinner.
The chief ministers of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab were also missing from the guest list.
Event inclusion
Efforts made to include state CMs in BRICS events
The Indian government had made efforts to include state chief ministers in BRICS-related events as part of its 2026 presidency.
Government sources called the absence of opposition CMs unfortunate.
The dinner was attended by BRICS heads of state, Union ministers, and chief ministers from BJP-run and allied states.
Notable attendees included Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Historical context
Attendance at official events often becomes political flashpoint
The absence of opposition leaders from official events isn't new. At the G20 gala dinner in 2023, several opposition chief ministers were also absent.
Attendance at such events has often been a political flashpoint, with the BJP accusing Rahul Gandhi of skipping state occasions despite invitations.
Meanwhile, opposition parties have slammed the government for not inviting Gandhi or Kharge to certain state banquets.