NDA to boycott Sonia's swearing-in

BJP and allies will boycott Cong chief's swearing-in as PM to "express people's sentiment". Only Vajpayee will attend.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies said on Monday that they would boycott the swearing-in of Congress president Sonia Gandhi as Prime Minister to "express people's sentiments".

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Outgoing Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee would, however, attend the ceremony, President of the Bharatiya Janata Party said.

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"We will be abstaining from the swearing-in ceremony to express the people's sentiment," he said.

A section of the BJP has stepped up a campaign against Gandhi's foreign roots saying only Indians should occupy the highest elected office.

The Congress and its allies defeated the BJP and its allies in just-concluded elections and has named Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate.