NEW DELHI: On Saturday Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is planned to go through a “coronary artery bypass graft” at the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS). He is expected to stay in the hospital for a week after the surgery and, according to prime ministerial aides, must take one more week before he resumes official duties.According to a report issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the surgery would be performed by a team of doctors from the AIIMS and the Asian Heart Institute, Mumbai.

Dr. Singh’s choice to let the doctors to complete the heart surgery as early as Saturday formed substantial confusion and concern in the political and official circles. The main center of interest was as to who would “officiate” for the duration of his hospitalisation.

In his absence, as per “the standing orders” functioning during the Prime Minister’s absence or unavailability, the decision-making will devolve on the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, to be chaired by the senior-most Minister.

Pranab Mukherjee is the senior-most member of the Cabinet as also in the CCPA. Besides Mr. Mukherjee, the CCPA consists of HRD Minister Arjun Singh, Home Minister P. Chidambram, Defence Minister A.K.Antony, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and Transport Minister T.R. Baalu.

As per the standing orders, Mr. Mukherjee, as the senior most Minister, has been normally chairing the Cabinet meetings during the Prime Minister’s absence from the capital.

As the Prime Minister was also looking after the Finance Ministry (since Mr. Chidambram’s departure for the Ministry of Home Affairs), that duty has also devolved on Mr. Mukherjee.

According to a Rashtrapati Bhavan communique, the President, on the Prime Minister’s advice, has “assigned extra charge of the Ministry of Finance” to Mr. Mukherjee “from January 24, 2009 until the healing of the Prime Minister from medical treatment.”

Though there will be no official announcement, it is authoritatively learnt that an “alternate” arrangement has been put in place concerning the Prime Minister’s duty in the nuclear command authority.

Before the Prime Minister got admitted to the AIIMS on Friday afternoon, Congress president Sonia Gandhi called on him. The two are said to have discussed the implications of Dr. Singh’s absence. Later, Mr. Mukhjerjee met Ms Gandhi, as also the Prime Minister.

After his conference with Ms Gandhi, Mr. Mukherjee told reporters that there was no need for any “re-designation” [as “officiating Prime Minister”].

He said, “These are theoretical questions. We do not know how long it would take or what would happen. This is normal, the government is there.”

President Pratibha Patil spoke to the Prime Minister on Friday night and wished him well, a Rashtrapati Bhawan spokesperson said.