Sonia indisposed, fails to attend function

NEW DELHI: Congress chief Sonia Gandhi Friday could not attend a function to release a commemorative stamp in the memory of late party veteran Shyamacharan Shukla here as she is indisposed.


Highly placed sources said Gandhi developed "mild fever" in the morning and, hence, her scheduled visit to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's official residence at 7, Race Course Road to participate in the function did not take place.


Regretting Gandhi's absence, Uma Tiwari, the daughter of late Shukla, said she was sad to learn that Gandhi is unwell and, therefore, could not come.


"She would have definitely come had she been fine," Tewari said.


Party sources said that there was nothing serious as her health is otherwise fine.


Gandhi had returned from abroad on March 5 after a "routine checkup" for her undisclosed ailment. She had gone out of the country for the check up on February 27 following a surgery over six months back.


A day after results of elections in five states were out, Gandhi held one-on-one interaction with party office bearers in the AICC headquarters on March 7 to review the Congress' performance and had interacted with the media after that.


Releasing the commemorative stamp, the Prime Minister said Shukla had a high stature as a politician and the values and ideals which he pursued in his public life inspire others.


Singh said that the works of Shukla in the field of irrigation are still remembered. He said that there were many occasions during his career when he had come in contact with Shukla.


Shukla's son Amitesh also recalled the relationship between his father and the Prime Minister.