New Delhi: Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has revealed that her children, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, did not want her to become Prime Minister after the party’s victory in the 2004 general elections.
In an interview with The Hindu ahead of the November 10 launch of her book, Belonging: A Journey of Love, Sonia discussed her decision to decline the top post, her relationship with former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, the Emergency, the Congress party’s future and India’s current political situation.
Sonia’s decision in 2004 remains one of the most widely discussed political moments of her career. In the interview, she said Rahul and Priyanka had also opposed the idea of her taking over as Prime Minister.
She also spoke about differences between Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for India and her own. Expressing concern over developments during the past 12 years, she said India’s democracy and institutions had suffered damage.
Reflecting on her personal life, Sonia said that even 60 years after meeting Rajiv Gandhi, she remained the same person, although she no longer laughed as much as she once did.
