The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has become the latest INDIA ally to declare that it won’t be attending the Ram Temple consecration ceremony. Confirming that he had received the invite for the event, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said on Wednesday that it would be easier to visit the temple later, by when, “the construction of Ram Temple will also be completed”.

Thanking Champat Rai, the general secretary of the Shriram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra, for the invitation, Pawar wrote in his reply that was shared on social media: “The devotees of Lord Ram are enthusiastic and eager to witness the ceremony at Ayodhya. The joy of this ceremony will reach me through them. After the ceremony on January 22, it will be easier to take the darshan of Ram Lalla. I have a scheduled visit to Ayodhya and at that time, I can pay my respects to Lord Ram with much devotion. By then, the construction of Ram temple will also be completed.”

Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal, who reiterated that he had not got a formal invitation yet, also indicated Wednesday that he won’t be there for the event, preferring to go with his family later.

“They had sent a letter, after which we called them. They said someone will come to invite (me) personally. That did not happen, but it is okay. They wrote in the letter that a lot of VIPs and VVIPs will come, and that keeping security in mind, only one person will be allowed. But I want to go to the temple with my wife and children. My parents are also very keen on Ram Lalla’s darshan. So I will go with my family later,” Kejriwal said.

Pawar’s observation about the temple still being incomplete is significant as some religious quarters have raised objection to the idol being installed in such a structure.

The Congress leadership had earlier said it would stay away from the January 22 event, while linking the “hurry” to install the idol in the incomplete temple to the coming elections.

Earlier, when he was yet to receive the invite, Pawar had said that even if he did, he would not visit Ayodhya on January 22 due to the massive crowds likely that day.

Apart from the Congress and NCP, the INDIA partners who have made it clear that they will not attend the January 22 event include the RJD, Left and Trinamool Congress. On Tuesday, the TMC announced its separate plans for January 22, including a visit by Mamata Banerjee to a Kali temple and an all-faith rally.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chairperson Uddhav Thackeray, who contests that his party had as big a role in the Ram Temple movement as the BJP, has said he will be at the Kalaram temple in Nashik on January 22. It is believed to be located at one of the sites where Ram stayed during his exile.

The JD(U) has been ambiguous about its stand on the issue.