The current President Pranab Mukherjee hosted his last Iftar party at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, on Friday ahead of the celebration of Ramzan. Despite receiving invites to attend the iftar dinner organized at Rashtrapathi Bhavan, not even one in the BJP-led government at the center attended the dinner iftar party hosted by the President.
This is the last iftar party being hosted by the President as his presidential term ends in July and new presidential candidates are nominated.In all these years I have never been to such an odd Iftar hosted by our honourable President with no trace of representatives of the Government of India," CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury said.
Preparations in Rashtrapati Bhavan and seating arrangements were made with ministers in mind - Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar was planned to share a table with Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad and all the seats were left empty.