Fate of Congress old guards unclear

With several of Congress' old guards and loyalists left out of the Manmohan Singh Cabinet,it remains unclear whether they will be accommodated in gubernatorial or organisational posts or simply fade away into political oblivion.

With several of Congress’ old guards and loyalists left out of the Manmohan Singh Cabinet,it remains unclear whether they will be accommodated in gubernatorial or organisational posts or simply fade away into political oblivion.

The fate of Arjun Singh,Hans Raj Bhardwaj,Sis Ram Ola,Shivraj Patil and Saifuddin Soz is being debated in party circles. All the five heavyweights,who are in their 70s,were cabinet ministers in the last Government.

Party leaders are tightlipped about the any new assignments for these veterans in the twilight of their political career.

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Arjun Singh,who stirred a hornet’s nest by introducing 27 percent reservation for OBCs in central universities as the Union HRD Minister,was once a powerful Vice President of the Congress,a post which has been abolished.

Asked whether the post of Vice President would be revived for Singh,a senior Congress leader dismissed the suggestion saying,”the party Constitution does not permit it”.