PM resumes work on Tuesday

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who has been recuperating for over a month after undergoing a bypass heart surgery in January, will hold his first official engagement on Wednesday as his 7, Race Course Road residence.

He will meet Benin President Boni Yayi to hold delegation-level talks and is expected to sign agreements to institutionalise bilateral cooperation.

Usually, such ceremonies are held at Hyderabad House, but there has been a change in venue as the prime minister has been indisposed due to a cold and fever.

On Sunday, he underwent a post-surgery assessment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and doctors declared the results were satisfactory. Yet, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee led the Indian delegation during talks at Hyderabad House on Tuesday.

During the visit of Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who was the state guest for the Republic Day, Mukherjee had stepped in for the prime minister to fulfil the latter’s protocol duties and President Pratibha Patil signed the agreements with Nazarbayev.

Though Singh has not been visiting the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in the recent past, he has been clearing files from his residence and is expected to return to the PMO soon.