INDIA’S major opposition parties boycotted the inauguration of a new parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today in a rare show of unity against his authoritarian Hindu nationalist ruling party, which has spent nine years in power.

In an extraordinary move, Mr Modi inaugurated the new parliament in the capital New Delhi by offering prayers as Hindu priests chanted religious hymns at the start of the ceremony. 

Opposition parties condemned the event, saying the prime minister had sidelined head of state President Droupadi Murmu, who would have been expected to perform the opening ceremony.

“May this iconic building be a cradle of empowerment, igniting dreams and nurturing them into reality,” Mr Modi tweeted shortly after the inauguration.

Senior ministers from Mr Modi’s party and leaders from its alliance partners attended the inauguration but at least 19 opposition parties skipped the event.

Opposition parties said in a statement on Wednesday that Mr Modi’s decision to inaugurate the building by himself was a grave insult to India’s democracy. 

“When the soul of democracy has been sucked out from the parliament, we find no value in a new building,” they said.

Home Minister Amit Shah claimed the opposition had politicised the event.

The new building, which cost an estimated £97 million, is part of a £2.27 billion revamp of British-era buildings in central New Delhi that will also include a new private residence for Mr Modi. The entire project, called the Central Vista, is spread over 1.9 miles.

Just hours before the new parliament was opened, Congress party’s general secretary Jairam Ramesh tweeted: “A self-glorifying authoritarian prime minister with utter disdain for parliamentary procedures, who rarely attends parliament or engages in it, inaugurates the new parliament building in 2023.”