What is ironic is that this year, more than any other, the Delhi government needed to strut its achievements in the parade, with Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit leading the Congress party to the Assembly elections later this year.

Delhi had missed out in 2005, too.

But the broad theme of showcasing the convergence of the state and the people lost out to the stiff competition from other states. Delhi’s themes this year: kite flying, Delhi-the city of festivals, and the world heritage status received by the Red Fort.

“We thought of the city of festivals theme since Delhi hosts events like the Qutub, Ananya and the Pankha festivals in Mehruali,” a Delhi government official said. “The significance of kite flying is that it stands for secular India. In the Walled City, people from all communities — Hindu, Muslim and Sikh —fly kites.”

According to government officials, Delhi aside, 13 other states have not made it to the parade. “We have been told that the reason is the Ministry of Defence has decided to make the parade shorter,” the government official said.

There is a stiff competition every year between the states and central ministries competing to have their tableaux roll down the Rajpath as part of the Republic Day paradee.

Explaining the process of making and finalising a tableau, the official said the government invites quotations from agencies specialising in designing and constructing tableaux. “There are just a handful of agencies — maybe around 10 — who do this work in Delhi,” the official said. “We received quotations from four agencies and shortlisted three.

“We spent Rs 15 lakh on the Republic Day tableau last year.”

The theme for Delhi’s tableau last year was women’s empowerment and the girl child.

The ministry runs a three-phase competition before finalising the tableaux. In the first phase, the states need to announce their theme and explain its significance. Once the concept is selected, they have to submit the design on paper. Once the design passes this second round, the states then need to make a model and submit it for selection.