India, Oct. 7 -- The Samajwadi Party was not represented at a lunch hosted by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for INDIA bloc parties on Wednesday, amid concerns within the SP over a lack of consultation ahead of Rahul Gandhi's surprise protests.

The Congress attributed the absence of some alliance partners to the short notice for the lunch, saying representatives of all INDIA bloc constituents had been invited.

The lunch at a south Indian restaurant on Janpath came hours before Opposition MPs were stopped for the second consecutive day from marching towards the Election Commission, leading to a standoff and their detention at Ashoka Road.

SP sources said party president Akhilesh Yadav was unhappy that he had not been informed in ...