Indira Wasn’t Madame Tussauds Statue: Pranab Mukherjee On Gandhi Family
New Delhi: “No, the PM position won’t be mine,” cryptically responded Pranab Mukherjee when queried by his daughter, Sharmistha Mukherjee, about his prospects of becoming the Prime Minister in 2004, following Sonia Gandhi’s withdrawal. In her upcoming tome, “In Pranab, My Father: A Daughter Remembers,” Sharmistha recounts the former President’s stance after Sonia Gandhi stepped back from the prime ministerial competition.
Within the pages, the ex-Congress spokesperson, who bid adieu to politics in 2021, unveils hitherto undiscovered facets of her father’s political odyssey. This includes his unrealized aspiration to be India’s Prime Minister, stemming from his struggle to emerge as the ‘numero uno’ person earning Sonia Gandhi’s trust. The narrative delves into the personality cult surrounding the Nehru-Gandhi family and critiques Rahul Gandhi’s perceived lack of charisma and political acumen, as per the book’s publishers, Rupa Publications.
Pranab Mukherjee, a stalwart who served as India’s finance minister and later assumed key roles in External Affairs, Defense, Finance, and Commerce, held the presidential office from 2012 to 2017, departing at the age of 84 on August 31, 2020.
As the head of the Congress party, Sonia Gandhi, poised to lead the nation in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, garnered widespread support from coalition partners. However, her surprising renouncement of the post left the nation, including her political allies, in astonishment.
In the chapter titled “The PM India Never Had,” Sharmistha Mukherjee writes: “Post Sonia’s withdrawal from the prime ministerial race, speculation ran rife within media and political circles.
“Dr. Manmohan Singh and Pranab emerged as the front-runners. I was unable to meet Baba for days due to his hectic schedule, so I spoke to him over the phone. Excitedly, I inquired if he was set to become the PM. His reply was curt, ‘No, she won’t choose me. It’ll be Manmohan Singh.’ He added, ‘But she should make the announcement swiftly. This uncertainty isn’t beneficial for the nation.'”
The author asserts that if her father harbored any disappointment about not being appointed Prime Minister, it found no expression in his diaries. He told a journalist that he harbored no expectations from Sonia Gandhi to bestow upon him the PM role.
“If there’s no expectation, there’s no disappointment either,” states the book, slated for release on Pranab Mukherjee’s birth anniversary on December 11.
The narrative challenges the conventional belief that Pranab had an opportunity to ascend to the PM role in 1984 after Indira Gandhi’s assassination, not just in 2004. Sharmistha Mukherjee reveals that people often queried her about her father’s PM aspirations during the UPA-I era.
Sonia Gandhi’s Message For Poll-Bound Telangana “His response was emphatic. He said, ‘Of course, I would like to be the Prime Minister. Any politician worth his salt has this ambition. But just because I want it does not necessarily mean I am going to get it,'” she writes.
She draws her conclusions: “Pranab Mukherjee indeed harbored the desire to be the PM, but he also reconciled with the fact that it wasn’t destined to be.” The book notes that her father’s diaries from those days contain scant details, hinting at time constraints due to a bustling schedule filled with meetings and consultations.
On May 17, 2004, he jotted down, “Sonia Gandhi decides to withdraw from Prime Ministerial candidature. BJP’s vicious campaign. Myself, Manmohan, Arjun, Ahmed Patel, and Ghulam Nabi were called. We are stunned.”
On May 18, he noted, “Sonia Gandhi sticks to her decision. Countrywide agitation. Allies are also shocked. The CPP meeting was emotionally surcharged. Appeal to her to reconsider. Work up to 1 am.”
“On May 19, almost with a sigh of relief, he wrote, ‘Issues resolved. Manmohan Singh becomes PM-designate. Manmohan and Sonia ji met President, and the President was pleased to give the mandate to form the government to Manmohan Singh,’ the book reveals.
Sharmistha Mukherjee discloses that although her father refrained from elaborating further at the time, on December 31, while reflecting on the year’s significant events, he wrote, “Most surprising was the amazing sacrifice of Sonia Gandhi by refusing to accept the prime ministership of the country despite pressure from within the party and outside. Her decision saved the country from a bitter confrontation between the BJP and the Congress.”
She also highlights her father’s admiration for Sonia Gandhi, describing her as “intelligent, hardworking, and eager to learn.” He once told her that unlike many political leaders, Sonia Gandhi’s strength lay in acknowledging her weaknesses and diligently working to overcome them. He recognized her lack of political experience but admired her commitment to understanding the intricacies of Indian politics and society.
One of the early references to Rahul Gandhi in his diaries dates back to January 29, 2009, during a CWC meeting discussing strategies for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The entries mention a few subsequent visits by Rahul to his residence.
“Pranab described him as ‘very courteous’ and ‘full of questions’, which he took as a sign of Rahul’s desire to learn. But he felt that Rahul was ‘yet to mature politically’.
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