Knew country would be safe in his hands: Sonia on picking Manmohan for PM post

• Sonia Gandhi reveals in her memoir Belonging: A Journey of Love that she chose Manmohan Singh as prime minister in 2004 for his integrity, governance experience and economic expertise

• She says Singh's appointment was expected to reassure allies and ensure continuity of India's economic reforms

• The memoir also recounts her decision to decline the PM post and reflects on her personal journey, the Gandhi family's tragedies and major political events

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has revealed that she chose Manmohan Singh to become India's prime minister in 2004 because of his unquestionable integrity, extensive understanding of governance and experience in economic policymaking.

In her newly released memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, published by HarperCollins India, Sonia Gandhi offers fresh insights into the decision that followed her refusal to take up the prime minister's post after the Congress-led UPA's victory in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections.

Sonia Gandhi writes that several senior Congress leaders were qualified for the position, but Singh stood out for his reputation as an honourable person with a deep understanding of governance.

She also believed that his appointment would help address concerns about the UPA government's ability to manage the economy and continue the economic policies introduced in the early 1990s.

Singh, an accomplished economist, had served as finance minister under former prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao and played a key role in introducing India's economic reforms.

According to Sonia Gandhi, Singh was not associated with any particular faction within the Congress and was capable of gaining wider political acceptance, particularly with the Communist parties supporting the UPA government.

Describing Singh's personal journey, Sonia Gandhi recalls that he was born into a Sikh family in a village in present-day Pakistan and faced hardships after losing his mother at an early age.

She credits his determination and academic brilliance for taking him from a village school to the universities of Oxford and Cambridge and eventually to prominent international platforms.

Beyond his professional achievements, Sonia Gandhi describes Singh as a compassionate individual whose integrity was beyond question. She says she was confident that the country would be in safe hands under his leadership.

Sonia Gandhi also recounts how she consulted senior Congress colleagues before proposing Singh's name. According to her, none opposed the suggestion, given his experience and reputation.

The memoir further reveals that Singh was initially hesitant about accepting the prime minister's position. However, after private discussions, he was eventually persuaded to take up the responsibility.

Sonia Gandhi recalls accompanying Singh to Rashtrapati Bhavan on May 18, 2004, to stake the Congress-led alliance's claim to form the government. She describes the emotional significance of returning to the presidential residence, which she had visited several times earlier with her mother-in-law, Indira Gandhi, and husband, Rajiv Gandhi.

She also writes that Singh had naturally assumed she would become prime minister, as there had been no prior discussion between them about his appointment.

The memoir sheds light on Sonia Gandhi's internal dilemma over accepting the top constitutional position and her eventual decision to follow what she describes as her "inner voice".

Beyond the political developments of 2004, Belonging: A Journey of Love traces Sonia Gandhi's personal and political journey, including her marriage to Rajiv Gandhi, her relationship with former prime minister Indira Gandhi and her efforts to adapt to Indian culture.

It also revisits major tragedies in the Gandhi family, including Sanjay Gandhi's death in a plane crash, Indira Gandhi's assassination in 1984 and Rajiv Gandhi's assassination in 1991.

The book offers a personal account of the events that shaped Sonia Gandhi's life and the Congress-led UPA's rise to power, which went on to govern India for two consecutive terms.

With PTI inputs