In memoirs, former President Pranab Mukherjee blames Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Former PM Manmohan Singh for the devastating loss in 2014 general elections

Former President Pranab Mukherjee blamed Congress President Sonia Gandhi and then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the party’s defeat in the 2014 general elections in his memoir which will be released soon, and contends that Prime Minister Narendra Modi employed an autocratic style of governance during his first term in power.

The Presidential Years, is the fourth volume of his memoirs and will be released in January 2021.

According to Pranab Mukherjee, some leaders of the Congress believed that had he become Prime Minister in 2004, the “drubbing” of 2014 may have been avoided.

“While Dr Manmohan Singh was preoccupied with saving the coalition, which took a toll on governance, Modi seemed to have employed a rather autocratic style of governance during his first term, as seen by the bitter relationship among the government, the legislature and the judiciary,” Bharat Ratan Pranab Mukherjee wrote in his memoir.

“Only time will tell if there is a better understanding on such matters in the second term of this government,” he further wrote.

Pranab Mukherjee wrote, “Some members of the Congress have theorised that, had I become the PM in 2004, the party might have averted the 2014 Lok Sabha drubbing. Though I don’t subscribe to this view, I do believe that the party’s leadership lost political focus after my elevation as President. While Sonia Gandhi was unable to handle the affairs of the party, Dr Singh’s prolonged absence from the House put an end to any personal contact with other MPs.”

“I do believe that the party’s leadership lost political focus after my elevation as president. While Sonia Gandhi was unable to handle the affairs of the party, Dr Singh’s prolonged absence from the House put an end to any personal contact with other MPs,” he wrote.

“If he were still alive, he would have been thrilled to note the widespread excitement among readers to read this extremely well-written autobiography. It’s so personal in tone that to me it almost seems like the former President is sitting in his study with a cup of tea (and shingara) and narrating his story,” said Kapish G Mehra, managing director, Rupa Publications India.

It is to be noted that in 2014 Congress Party performed the worst in the history of Indian elections and managed to win only 44 seats after ruling for 10 years while BJP won 282 seats under the leadership of PM Modi.