Sonia Gandhi and Arjun Singh at the convocation of Jamia Hamdard University in New Delhi on Saturday. Picture by Rajesh Kumar

New Delhi, May 10: The eye contact was missing. For the first time in many years, Sonia Gandhi and “loyalist” Arjun Singh avoided talking to each other at a public forum.

It was significant that it happened a day after Arjun alleged that the loyalty barometer in the Congress had narrowed.

He told an audience that during the Nehruvian era and under Indira Gandhi’s leadership, constructive criticism and dissent were tolerated as part of internal democratic traditions.

But Arjun, known to be careful with words, avoided any reference to Sonia or Rajiv Gandhi.

This “lapse” was noticed by Arjun’s close associate M.L. Fotedar. Speaking to The Telegraph, Fotedar, who was with Arjun in the breakaway Tiwari Congress, said: “I was a little surprised to hear that he did not name Rajivji.”

In the national capital, Arjun and Sonia met each other at the convocation ceremony for Jamia Hamdard University. They referred to each other in formal speeches and avoided eye contact.

But more significantly, when Sonia spoke about the government’s contribution to education, she went on praising Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, overlooking the human resource development minister’s name.

Arjun’s “isolation” was evident when Digvijay Singh, Veerappa Moily and R.K. Dhawan issued statements criticising him.

So far, Arjun’s claim that internal democracy has taken a beating in the Congress has found no credible takers.

AICC general secretary Digvijay said Arjun’s criticism was unfair. Digvijay, who cut his political teeth under Arjun in Madhya Pradesh, said his former mentor was not the only one who has kept the Congress on its guard.

Digvijay also said Arjun’s criticism that the decision-making process in the party was “in a bit of a disarray” was not true. Moreover, Arjun is a member of almost all important party committees and panels, Digvijay said.

Moily, the head of the AICC’s media department, too, took a dig at Arjun and said: “Soniaji consults everyone on party matters.”

Arjun’s colleague in the Congress Working Committee, Dhawan, too, said he disagreed with him. “I hold very strong views that loyalty should be judged by the leaders from deeds, not from words — loyalty should be commanded, not demanded,” Dhawan, a former personal assistant to Indira Gandhi, said.

At another event to mark the closing ceremony of the 150-year celebrations of the First War of Independence, Arjun had to witness an angry protester, Jagdish Chandra Sharma. As he watched silently, Sharma shouted: “Apologise for your family’s deeds and excuse yourself as the chief guest of the function as your family supported the British.”

Sharma said Arjun’s ancestors supported the British during the revolt and ordered the killing of his ancestor.