Around 100 INDIA bloc MPs had lunch at Sagar Ratna in New Delhi on Wednesday. The group gathered at the restaurant after police stopped their march to the Election Commission. Leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge enjoyed vegetarian meals while discussing plans. The meeting was a last-minute decision.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and other leaders outside Sagar Ratna restaurant at Janpath in New Delhi on Wednesday. PTI

Not as famous as Saravana Bhavan or as posh as Cafe Amudham on the same row but a Delhi institution nonetheless -- the humble Sagar Ratna fuelled an impromptu roadshow by around 100 INDIA bloc MPs on Janpath on Wednesday.

The multi-cuisine vegetarian food chain, founded in Delhi by Jayaram Banan from Karkala in Karnataka, hosted the MPs for lunch, a day after police broke up their march to the Election Commission. The Samajwadi Party was notably absent.

Congress MP and communications head Jairam Ramesh posted on X: "All INDIA janbandhan parties had been invited for today's lunch. But the decision for the lunch had been taken late last night and communicated. It was therefore natural that some parties could not be represented."

A manager at the restaurant told The Telegraph: "We got the booking last night. We told them that we already have a booking for 40 at 12.30pm so we can accommodate the MPs after 2pm, and that the whole restaurant can't be booked for them. But as the road itself was closed by the police, they were the only customers at the time."

The restaurant is split into two floors, with a total capacity of 200. The waiters this paper spoke to could recognise the Congress's Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi and the RJD's Manoj Jha -- who were at the same table.

"Priyankaji had chilly paneer, Rahulji had ghee roast. I think it had masala in it, but I am not sure. Priyankaji ne paneer achha se khaya (Priyanka relished the paneer). Manojji ate a little of everything on the table. Most people ordered dosas," a waiter said.

The manager piped in: "(Mallikarjun) Khargeji also was at their table. He had rasam rice and papad."

An MP at this table said the lunch was a last-minute plan and there was a miscommunication with the SP that had been sorted out.

A video released by the Congress also showed general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal, Trinamool's Derek O'Brien, CPM's John Brittas, JMM's Vijay Hansdak, VCK's Thirumaavalavan, IUML's E. T. Mohammed Basheer and CPI's P. Sandosh Kumar.

Two senior Congress sources said that the restaurant was chosen purely for its location near the Jantar Mantar protest site. The food was immaterial.