Just as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh took leave after tea with his staff at his official 7, Race Course Road residence on Tuesday, a round of spontaneous applause stopped him in his tracks.
Turning back, he waved at a contingent of officials, security personnel and support staff who had served him during much of his 10 years as prime minister after Congress’s unexpected victory in 2004. At an earlier function at South Block, Singh wished officials “god bless” and said they had served their country well. He chatted with officials due for transfers out of PMO, asking about their new assignments. During the day, Singh possibly signed his last official file clearing the appointment of Andhra Pradesh governor E S L Narasimhan as governor for both Telangana and Seemandhra for Cabinet approval.
The Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday evening duly approved the order along with the appointment of the new Army chief and an FDI in pharma proposal. At one of his farewell meetings, Singh was presented a map of the world by national security advisor Shivshankar Menon that marked some 110 countries the PM visited during his long tenure.
At both the South Block and 7, Race Course Road functions, Singh received an emotional sendoff from a large number of staffers, including personnel who managed RTI queries and the PM’s parliamentary work.
The PM’s wife Gursharan Kaur ensured all staffers serving Singh in various capacities attended the farewell functions and no one was missed out. Singh will hold his last Cabinet meeting on May 17, a day after Lok Sabha elections are announced. He will also address the nation the same day after submitting his resignation to the President. The PM will move into his new residence at Motilal Nehru Marg only after the swearing-in of his successor. Singh’s ministerial colleagues will join him for high tea on Saturday, which will be followed by dinner at Rashtrapati Bhavan with President Pranab Mukherjee as host.
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