Singh seeks peace by raising loyalty card

"This is a closed chapter as far as I am concerned," the HRD Minister said in a statement a day after his remarks on loyalty and also internal democracy in the party created a storm and saw party chief Sonia Gandhi giving him a cold shoulder.

The leader said that he was "pained at the needless and irrelevant controversies" that are sought to be raised on the book on him published by Kanhaiya Lal Nandan and presented to President Pratibha Patil two days ago.

Singh's remarks at the book release function that the "evaluation of loyalty in the party was now being done in a very narrow context" was seen as a potshot at the Congress leadership.

His statement in an interview in the book "Mohin Kahan Vishram" that the decision making process in the party has "fallen in a bit of a disarray" also attracted widespread criticism.      In the statement, he sought to build bridges with the leadership by saying, "When I met Pandit Jawaharlal Nehruji in March 1960 I pledged my total loyalty to him and his family. This was the commitment, which is an article of faith with me.

"For the past 48 years of my life, I have scrupulously adhered to it. I shall also do everything to maintain the loyalty and commitment to the remaining members of the family till I live," he said.

Besides, he said in the statement that though he would always be available to the media, he would not be able to answer any question relating to the recent controversies.