Pranab should have been PM, Manmohan as President: Aiyar shares big revelation about Congress and the Gandhis
Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar reflected on a period of significant challenges for the party in 2012, highlighting two major crises: Sonia Gandhi's illness and Manmohan Singh undergoing six bypass surgeries. Aiyar shared his view that Congress could have avoided its catastrophic 2014 Lok Sabha defeat with different leadership decisions.
“You see, in 2012, we had two disasters taking place: one was that Sonia Gandhi fell very ill, and Dr Manmohan Singh had six bypasses. So, we were crippled at the head of the government and at the head of the party," he said to PTI.
He added, “…if Dr Manmohan Singh had become the President and Pranab had become the PM, I still think we would have lost in 2014 (Lok Sabha polls), but not by this massive humiliating defeat that we actually had, where we fell to 44 seats.”
'My political career made & unmade by the Gandhis'
Mani Shankar Aiyar opened up about his limited yet impactful interactions with Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi, reflecting on the irony of his political journey. Aiyar candidly stated that his career was both “made and unmade” by the Gandhis.
Aiyar highlighted his minimal one-on-one engagements with the family throughout his political career. “For 10 years, I was not given an opportunity to meet Sonia Gandhi one-on-one. I was not given an opportunity, except once, of spending any meaningful time with Rahul Gandhi. And I have not spent time with Priyanka except on one occasion, no, two occasions. She comes on the phone to me, so I’m in touch with
