By IANS,
New Delhi: Indian President Pratibha Patil and Britain’s Prince Charles may share the honours at the inauguration of the Commonwealth Games (CWG) here Sunday in the absence of Commonwealth head, Queen Elizabeth, sources in the Organising Committee (OC) said Monday.
Negotiations are still on between the OC and the Indian and British governments regarding the details, the sources added.
“OC chief Suresh Kalmadi and Cabinet Secretary K.M. Chandrasekhar will hold discussions soon regarding the inauguration programme. Efforts are on for a solution acceptable to all parties,” a official in the OC told IANS on the condition of anonymity.
As per protocol, Queen Elizabeth should inaugurate the 19th edition of the Games, organised among the countries which comprises the erstwhile British empire.
About 7,000 athletes and officials and 71 countries and territories will take part in the 11-day Games, the biggest sports event to be hosted by India after the 1982 Asiad.