PM Modi, Manmohan Singh shake hands

New Delhi: On the last day of Winter Session of Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday shook hands with former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh soon after the Rajya Sabha was adjourned sine die. The “handshake” came barely weeks after the duo had been locked in a bitter war of words over Gujarat elections and Parliament lost several hours of work over the controversy and its aftermath. 

The cordial “handshake” took place minutes after Rajya sabha Chairman M Venkiah Naidu adjourned the House sine die and ‘Vande Mataram’ was rendered. As most members started to relax, the Prime Minister was seen moving towards the opposition benches and shaking hands with several MPs, including his predecessor Dr Singh. Modi reached the seat of the former premier and while holding his hands for some time also spoke to him at length.

Among others with whom the Prime Minister was seen shaking hands were Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien and veteran Congress leader Karan Singh, who was bid farewell by the Upper House today as his tenure ends on January 27.

The show of cordial relations between the incumbent and the former premier comes after a massive row last month wherein Modi allegedly insinuated that Dr Manmohan Singh had colluded with Pakistan in the Gujarat polls and latter reportedly hit back stating that a “dangerous precedent” was being set by such accusations. The Congress had also taken a tough stand on the issue and had demanded that the Prime Minister apologise.