Congress cancels Belagavi convention after former PM Manmohan Singh's death

The convention was organised to commemorate the centenary of the lone Congress convention in Belagavi, which was chaired by Mahatma Gandhi in 1924.

The Congress convention in Belagavi has been cancelled following the death of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar announced on Thursday.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the nation’s economy has witnessed unimaginable turmoil in the past 10 years (Amal KS/HT PHOTO)

The event, initially planned to commemorate the centenary of the historic Congress convention held in Belagavi, which was chaired by Mahatma Gandhi on December 26 and 27, 1924, will not take place.

"We are postponing the grand convention titled 'Jai Gandhi, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan' for now," said Shivakumar, who also leads the Congress Karnataka unit.

Instead, a condolence meeting will be held at the venue on Friday, he added.

Shivakumar also confirmed that the state government has declared a holiday for Friday and announced seven days of mourning in honor of the former Prime Minister.

Manmohan Singh, the architect of India's economic reforms, passed away in New Delhi on Thursday night at the age of 92. His death was confirmed by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), where he had been admitted to the Emergency ward in critical condition around 8.30 PM.

Singh, who served as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014, is widely credited with overseeing a period of rapid economic growth in India, though his second term was marked by slower growth.

Tributes pour in

India "mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished leaders", current Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on social media platform X on Thursday, shortly after news broke of Singh's passing.

"As our Prime Minister, he made extensive efforts to improve people's lives."

Singh was taken to a hospital in New Delhi after he lost consciousness at his home on Thursday, but could not be resuscitated and was later pronounced dead, according to a statement by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

"I have lost a mentor and guide," opposition Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said in a statement, adding that Singh had "led India with immense wisdom and integrity".

"Millions of us who admired him will remember him with the utmost pride," said Gandhi, a scion of India's powerful Nehru-Gandhi dynasty and the most prominent challenger to Modi.