New Delhi: It was May 18, and the year was 2004. The UPA government was going to be formed under the leadership of Congress after defeating Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led government. Many considered it is certain that Sonia Gandhi would become the Prime Minister. However, Ram Vilas Paswan reached 10 Janpath and got the information that Sonia was not becoming the PM. He called Sonia Gandhi’s advisor Ahmed Patel to confirm the news but did not get any positive response from there either.
In his biography ‘Sangharsh, Sahas aur Sankalp’, Ram Vilas Paswan says: “As soon as I came out of 10 Janpath, this news started flashing in the media. We people of the alliance were surprised as to who would become the Prime Minister now, but soon the Congress informed us about this. The name that came in front of us was quite shocking. That name was of Manmohan Singh.”
In 2004, after Sonia Gandhi declined to become Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh was appointed to the position. At that time, Singh was the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha. President APJ Abdul Kalam had even stated that Manmohan Singh would become the PM, though the official confirmation was provided to the President’s Office only at the last moment.
After Sonia’s refusal, these 5 leaders were contenders
There are various reasons cited for Sonia Gandhi’s decision not to take the Prime Minister’s position. However, following her refusal, five leaders were considered as potential candidates for the role within Congress’s political circles. Discussions revolved around those who could step into the Prime Minister’s shoes, with prominent names including Pranab Mukherjee, Arjun Singh, ND Tiwari, Shivraj Patil, and P Chidambaram.
Pranab Mukherjee was the most senior leader in Congress, having served as a minister at the center since Indira Gandhi’s time. Many party leaders hoped he would assume the Prime Minister’s position, but Pranab did not become PM. He expressed regret on several occasions for not being appointed to the role. Mukherjee served as the Finance and Defence Minister in the Manmohan Singh government.
Arjun Singh was regarded as close to the Gandhi family, maintaining strong relations with both Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. A former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, he was also a favoured leader among the allied parties. Later, Arjun Singh was appointed as the Education Minister in Manmohan Singh’s government.
ND Tiwari, who had served as the Chief Minister of both Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, was a strong contender for the Prime Minister’s position. He was also regarded as being very close to the Gandhi family. However, Tiwari did not get the PM’s chair.
Shivraj Patil, a prominent leader from Maharashtra, was also a key contender for the Prime Minister’s post. With Mumbai being the economic hub of the country, Patil’s strong influence in the city made him a significant candidate. Later, he was appointed as the Home Minister in Manmohan Singh’s government.
Economist P Chidambaram was also a strong contender for the Prime Minister’s post. At the time, there was speculation that Congress might choose him as PM to appease the South. Having served as a minister in several governments, Chidambaram was later appointed as the Home and Finance Minister in Manmohan Singh’s government.
What went in Manmohan’s favour?
Manmohan Singh’s rise to the Prime Minister’s position was influenced by three key factors. The first was that he did not belong to any particular faction within the Congress party. At the time, various factions, both in the South and North, were active within Congress. The party had suffered defeat due to this factionalism during Narasimha Rao’s government, and Sonia Gandhi did not want to risk repeating that scenario.
Manmohan Singh not being a political person also worked in his favour. Rahul Gandhi had entered politics in 2004. Congress was preparing a political pitch for him. In such a situation, if the PM’s chair was given to any person with political affiliation other than Manmohan, then the future path would not have been smoother for Rahul.
The third factor was Manmohan’s dedication and track record. As Finance Minister, Manmohan had pulled India out of economic crisis. In 2004 too, Congress had made many promises related to economic policy and employment, which needed a visionary leader to fulfill. Manmohan proved to be the best fit for this.
