Sonia family skips Varun wedding

The wedding of BJP MP Varun Gandhi at a temple in Varanasi on Sunday morning was an occasion to be remembered more for social than political reasons.

The wedding of BJP MP Varun Gandhi at a temple in Varanasi on Sunday morning was an occasion to be remembered more for social than political reasons.

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The temple is located on the bank of the river Ganga at Hanuman Ghat, which edges the Harischandra Ghat, a cremation ground famed in mythology.

The wedding, solemnised by 21 priests from the southern and northern parts of the country as well as West Bengal (bride Yamini Roy is from the eastern state), went on for nearly two hours and came just a week ahead of Gandhi’s birthday on March 13.

Select few guests attended the occasion. None from Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s family turned up though Priyanka Gandhi was expected.

Top BJP leaders (both national and state level) were not present, either.

When asked at Varanasi airport later in the day about the absence of Sonia Gandhi’s family, BJP MP and Varun’s mother, Maneka Gandhi, said: “Jinko aana tha voh shadi me aye ...hume bahut accha laga (Those who wanted to come came … we liked it immensely).”

“Select BJP leaders, including me, were invited while others are on their way to attend the wedding of Tripathiji’s daughter in Gorakhpur. Even I’m going there,” Paswan told HT on the phone.