Sonia Gandhi explains why she declined prime minister post in 2004
In her new memoir, the Congress leader describes choosing Manmohan Singh to lead the United Progressive Alliance government.
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has revealed the reasons behind her decision not to become prime minister after the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) won the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, according to a Times of India report.
In her new memoir, titled Belonging: A Journey of Love, Gandhi describes listening to her inner voice to turn down the position. She wrote on X that her mind cleared of doubt and she told herself to be true to herself.
The memoir, which was released in bookstores on Tuesday, details her conversation with her son, Rahul Gandhi, after she made the decision. Gandhi stated that she told him she was going to stick to her stand, and he told her it was the right decision.
Gandhi explained that she chose Dr Manmohan Singh, a member of the Congress Working Committee, because he possessed a deep understanding of governance and had integrity that was unquestionable. She noted his experience as finance minister in the early 1990s under former prime minister PV Narasimha Rao.
She believed Singh's appointment would reassure people regarding economic policies, especially since the UPA would be supported by Communist parties. Gandhi said Singh would assuage doubts about the ability to manage and continue previous policies.
The book also recounts the events of May 18, 2004, when Gandhi and Singh went to Rashtrapati Bhawan to stake the UPA's claim to form the government.