President Pranab Mukherjee with PM Narendra Modi 'At Home' on the occasion of Independence Day at Rashtrapati Bhavan (Press Trust of India)
Rains forced the shifting of 'At Home' function hosted by President Pranab Mukherjee today from the Mughal Gardens to the Ashoka Hall where a large number of dignitaries including Vice President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were present.
Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, senior BJP leader LK Advani, BJP President Amit Shah and cabinet ministers attended the reception.
After a tumultuous Parliament session in which the Congress had crossed swords with the Speaker, Mrs Gandhi and Ms Mahajan were seen holding each other's hands and having a word with smile on their faces.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who has a running battle with Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, exchanged pleasantries with him in the ceremonial high-domed chamber. The two laughed their hearts out in the company of Mr Azad, Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh and Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.
Mr Mukherjee moved out of Ashoka Hall and mixed with the crowd in the adjacent banquet hall and Ashoka Hall.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur were also present at the function.