Did Cong sidetrack Chidambaram at the plenary?

On the second day of the 83rd Congress plenary, on the dais were the who's who of the party -- Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. However, one of the party's seniormost leaders was conspicuous by his absence on the stage. Interestingly, Home Minister P Chidambaram was seen seating among the spectators, in the front row area reserved for ministers.

Why was the Chidamabaram not on stage? It came as a surprise to the addressees, as one saw even Vilasrao Deshmukh and Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan on the dais?

The reason behind the home minister's absence on a day that was of great importance to the party could not be ascertained. But Chidambaram was seen busy checking messages on his mobile phone.

Keeping a low profile was also Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, who found himself in fourth row. 

Another interesting aspect at the plenary was the absence of the first Congress President of the Indian national Congress Womesh Chandra Banerjee's photograph from the dais.

Banerjee presided over the first session of the Indian National Congress held in Kolkata in 1885.

Image: Home Minister P Chidambaram at the plenary | Photograph: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com