The Hindu Business Line : <I>Change of guard?</I>

Are Dr Manmohan Singh's days as Prime Minister numbered? Media veterans, who claim to have developed the fine art of picking straws in the wind think so, and the straws that they have clutched this time is the long list of Padma awards that were announced around Republic Day. Drawing on their experience, they point out that the award list this time includes quite a few personal `friends' of the Prime Minister and from this flows the deduction that Dr Singh may be thinking that this year could possibly be one of the last opportunities when he can acknowledge the worthy within his close circle. To substantiate their reasoning, the veterans push through more evidence — the number of book release functions that the Prime Minister is gracing these days. He has more time now, they say — without elaborating of course why suddenly the Prime Minister would find more time on his hands — but that too is said to be indicative of the possibility of him moving on in life. If wishes were horses...

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