Rahul Gandhi absent at Sonia Gandhi's farewell dinner for Manmohan Singh

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who leaves office this week, was on Wednesday night given a farewell dinner by Congress president Sonia Gandhi which was attended by a galaxy of party leaders and Union ministers. But Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi was not present.

The function at 10, Janpath was held as a mark of gratitude by the party, whose coalition government the 81-year-old Dr Singh led for 10 long years.

A memento was presented to Dr Singh with signatures of top Congress leaders and Union ministers. Mr Pallam Raju read out the dedication inscribed on it in praise and honour of the Prime Minister.

Both Dr Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur were presented with bouquets and party leaders were seen scrambling for a photograph with the couple and Mrs Gandhi.