Veteran Congress leader Arjun Singh dead

NEW DELHI: Veteran Congress leader and former Union Minister Arjun Singh, who had served in various capacities including as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, died today.

He was 81. Admitted to the AIIMS some days ago with chest pain and neuro problems, Singh complained of breathing problem around 1730 hours. He suffered a heart attack and breathed his last around 1815 hours, sources said.

A loyalist of the Gandhi family, Singh was Vice President of the Congress under Rajiv Gandhi in the eighties and was also Governor of Punjab at the height of militancy and was instrumental in the Rajiv-Longowal accord.

Incidentally, Singh was today dropped from the party's highest policy making body Congress Working Committeee today and was made a Permanent Invitee.

Singh leaves wife Saroj Devi, two sons--Ajay Singh, an MLA in Madhya Pradesh and Abhimanyu--and daughter Veena.