G20 summit: Who is invited to the special dinner hosted by the president?

New Delhi: Indian President Draupadi Murmu will host a prestigious special G20 dinner in Delhi this Saturday and the guest list has created quite a stir. The guests attending the dinner include all Cabinet and State Ministers, Chief Ministers from across India, Secretary Generals to the Government of India, and other prominent guests. Former Prime Ministers Dr. Manmohan Singh and HD Deve Gowda have also received coveted invitations to attend the dinner, which adds to its importance. However, the JD-S patriarch has decided not to attend the event due to his ill health.

However, it is noteworthy that political party leaders were not included in the guest list. Sources said that the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Malikajong Kharge, who holds the rank of Cabinet Minister, was not invited to the exclusive G20 dinner.

Other guests confirmed to attend the celebration include Chief Ministers Nitish Kumar (Bihar), Hemant Soren (Jharkhand), Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal), MPs Stalin (Tamil Nadu), Arvind Kejriwal (Delhi) and Bhagwant Mann (Punjab).

The development comes in the wake of the recent controversy surrounding President Draupadi Murmu’s invitation, which referred to her as the ‘President of Bharat’ instead of the ‘President of India.’ Sources said the guest list includes Cabinet and state ministers, chief ministers, government secretaries and other prominent persons.

Importantly, sources said that Mallikarjun Kharge, MP, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and president of the Grand Party, has not yet been invited, probably because he does not have a ministerial status in the central or state governments.

The G20 dinner will be held at the Indian Trade Promotion Organization’s multi-purpose hall, which has ample seating, located in the renovated Indian Trade Promotion Organization building at Pragati Maidan in Delhi. The dinner will include a short cultural programme and a sumptuous dinner.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will personally greet each visiting head of state at the venue and hold a working lunch for them on the same day. The G20 summit, chaired by India, is scheduled to be held in Delhi from September 9 to 10, and will be attended by heads of state from around the world, including US President Joe Biden.