V.P. Singh to be cremated at the Sangam

Allahabad, Nov 28 (IANS) Former prime minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh will be cremated Saturday on the banks of the 'Sangam', the holy confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers in Allahabad, it is officially learnt.

The body of Singh, who passed away after a prolonged illness at Delhi's Apollo Hospital Thursday, was flown in here by a special aircraft Friday afternoon.

He was driven down in an open carriage straight to his home, Manda House, named after the erstwhile princely state of Manda near Allahabad. It was his lineage as the successor to the throne of Manda that he was popularly addressed as 'Raja saheb'.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati visited Manda House later in the evening to pay her last respects to Singh. Earlier Thursday, she announced her decision to observe a three-day state mourning for Singh who had also been UP chief minister between 1980 and 1982.

According to a local official, Singh will be accorded full state honour. Singh's eldest son Ajeya Singh, who lives in Allahabad, will perform the last rites.

Prominent among political leaders expected to attend Singh's funeral on Saturday include West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, former Utar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and film actor turned MP Raj Babbar.