Sonia hosts farewell dinner for PM, Rahul skips it

“Sonia Gandhi honoured the Prime Minister and handed him a ‘prashasti patra' (citation). No speeches were made at the farewell,” Union Minister Rajiv Shukla said. 

The economist-turned-politician had announced his retirement in January, saying he would not run for a third term.

Minister of State J D Seelam said it was a “thanksgiving dinner for the Prime Minister and all of us greeted him for his great contribution in the last 10 years of the UPA government”.

The party had only yesterday hailed Singh's able stewardship of the government, underlining how he had led the country through difficult times.