New Delhi, July 16 (IANS) Matang Sinh, a minister in the P.V. Narasimha Rao government, was Saturday re-admitted to the Congress.

Congress general secretary in charge of Assam Digvijay Singh re-admitted Matang Sinh at a function at the party headquarters here.

A former Rajya Sabha member from Assam, Matang Sinh was suspended from the Congress in 2000 for "anti-party activities" amid reports that he was rallying partymen against Congress president Sonia Gandhi. His moves were believed to be with the support of Rao, who had turned against Gandhi by then.

Digvijay Singh said Sinh was re-admitted "in view of his contribution to the success of the Congress in the recent assembly polls in Assam".

His support helped the party in the state, especially in upper Assam, the Congress general secretary added.

Before his re-admission, Matang Sinh met Gandhi at her residence here.

Political circles recall Sinh, a minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in the Rao government, as a key leader who helped the minority Rao government survive on several occasions,

His re-admission is interpreted as part of the recent Congress moves to accomodate the Rao loyalists, many of whom had been sidelined.

The Congress party hailed the economic reforms initiated by Rao in the political resolution passed at the party plenary session held in Delhi in December 2010.