The UPA elected Sonia Gandhi as its prime ministerial candidate on May 16, 2004. On May 18, she declined, as Pranab Mukherjee recounts in his memoir “The Coalition Years.” The move stunned allies and supporters who had waited for hours for the announcement.
The Family Factor
A book excerpt published by Scroll says Rahul Gandhi told his mother he was ready to take any step to stop her from becoming PM, leaving her visibly upset. CPI(M) leader Somnath Chatterjee also said the decision was because of her children. The same account says Atal Bihari Vajpayee advised her against taking the post.
DON'T MISS
The Foreign-Origin Row
Her Italian birth had been a political flashpoint for years. Before the 1999 elections, there was an all-out rebellion against the idea of her leading the party as PM candidate.
Where Pranab Mukherjee Stood
Mukherjee wrote that the expectation was that he would be the next choice. Sonia instead named Manmohan Singh, who had once been his junior. Mukherjee was reluctant to join the government, but she insisted that he did so. His daughter Sharmistha later wrote that he had told her Sonia would not make him PM, and that he wanted the job but came to terms with not getting it.
A Tussle or Quiet Disappointment?
The accounts describe unspoken disappointment, not an open fight. Natwar Singh recalled getting dirty looks from Mukherjee that day. In 2012, Sonia said it would be difficult to spare him from the government, and he later became President of India.
The Aftermath
Stepping aside raised Sonia’s standing. She led the UPA from outside the government, while Manmohan Singh served as PM for a decade.
