Six years after his death, controversy continues to surround India's former President Pranab Mukherjee. Sonia Gandhi's memoir 'Belonging: A Journey of Love' has brought fresh scrutiny to the late leader's ambition of becoming prime minister, a topic that stirred Congress politics four decades ago.

The 2010 Incident as Described by Sonia

In her memoir, Sonia Gandhi writes that in 2010, after Manmohan Singh had assumed the prime ministership for a second term, Pranab Mukherjee hinted at his desire to become prime minister. During that period, Mukherjee had sharp differences with then Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on several issues. One day, while speaking with Sonia, he expressed his frustration and said, 'Perhaps the time has come for a change at the top.'

Sonia writes that Mukherjee's comment came as a shock to her and left her deeply surprised. She has detailed the incident in her memoir, adding a new dimension to the long-standing speculation about Mukherjee's prime ministerial aspirations.

The Story of Declining the PM Offer

In another chapter of the memoir, Sonia recounts how she declined the offer to become prime minister a few months before the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. She writes that her Western values convinced her that becoming prime minister would not be appropriate, even if the party and allies wanted it. Additionally, her children Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi did not want their mother to ever assume the country's highest executive office.

Sonia also reveals that she was deeply conflicted over whether she should become prime minister. The Indian Express has published excerpts from this chapter, detailing her dilemma and eventual decision.

Pranab's Political Legacy

Pranab Mukherjee was regarded as one of India's most seasoned political organizers. As a senior Congress leader, he served multiple terms as Finance Minister, External Affairs Minister, and Defence Minister. In 2012, he was elected President of India and served until 2017. He passed away in 2020.

However, Mukherjee never directly commented on his prime ministerial ambitions during his lifetime. The revelation in Sonia's memoir has opened new avenues for analysis of his political career and the internal dynamics of Congress politics.

Significance of the Memoir

'Belonging: A Journey of Love' is an autobiographical account of Sonia Gandhi's personal life and political journey. The book sheds light on significant events and decisions in Indian politics. The disclosure of the 2010 incident with Pranab Mukherjee has unveiled an unknown chapter in Congress's internal politics.

Political analysts suggest this revelation could play an important role in reinterpreting Congress's history. However, no formal response has yet come from Mukherjee's family or the Congress party regarding this disclosure.