The Bengal government’s Republic Day tableau proposal has been rejected, the defence ministry said on Wednesday.

The expert committee tasked with choosing the tableaux examined Bengal’s proposal in two rounds of meetings, the ministry said in a statement.

“The tableau proposal of the West Bengal government was not taken forward for further consideration by the Expert Committee after deliberations in the second meeting. It is pertinent to mention here that the tableau of the Government of West Bengal was short-listed for participation in the Republic Day Parade 2019 as an outcome of the same process,” the ministry said.

In its proposal to the Centre, the Bengal government had laid down its plan to decorate the tableau with themes of Kanyasree, Sabujsree and Jal Dharo, Jal Bharo.

Officials in Bengal speculated whether the Centre-state stand-off had cost Bengal a chance to showcase its achievements in front of a pan-India audience.

Nabanna sources said they had included the three most popular schemes of the state government as the theme for the tableau because they met the requirements of the defence ministry.

According to the defence ministry, a tableau should be based on important social and economic development schemes and have a vision for the future and the environment.