New Delhi, Dec. 6 -- The Congress on Friday announced that neither party chief and Rajya Sabha leader of the opposition Mallikarjun Kharge nor Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi were invited to the state banquet in honour of visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin, on Friday .

According to party officials, an invitation to attend the dinner has been extended to Congress MLA Shashi Tharoor, who chairs the standing committee of Parliament on external affairs.

"There has been speculation whether the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha have been invited for tonight's official dinner in honour of President Putin. The two LoPs have not been invited," Congress' communication chief Jairam Rame...