‘Pranab knew he wouldn’t become PM,’ daughter’s book explores ex-Prez’s political stint

A delicate and often tumultuous working relationship with Sonia Gandhi, being underwhelmed by Rahul Gandhi’s political abilities and finding him arrogant.

And admiration for Prime Minister Narendra Modi – a new book has revealed some behind-the-scenes details of former President and veteran Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee’s life.

Written by his daughter Sharmishtha Mukherjee and titled Pranab, My Father, the book draws on his diaries and conversations with his daughter, and covers his vast political career that began as a lawmaker and ended with his stint in Rashtrapati Bhavan. Mukherjee writes that Pranab Mukherjee continued to be politically active even after stepping down as President in 2017 till his death three years later.

The book said Pranab Mukherjee knew he would never become PM.

The first time the question arose when Indira Gandhi was assassinated in 1984. While political observers say Pranab Mukherjee expressed his keenness for the job, his diary, the book claims, suggest this was a baseless rumour. Mukherjee cites her father’s diary noting to write that it was Congress leader Ghani Khan Choudhary who proposed the names of PV Narasimha Rao or Pranab Mukherjee, as the seniormost members of the Cabinet, to take over.

But Pranab Mukherjee, according to the book, apparently said there was no problem if a non-Cabinet member such as Rajiv Gandhi became PM. “Rajiv then asked, ‘Do you think I can manage?’ Pranab replied, ‘Yes, you can. Besides, we are all there to help you. You will have everyone’s support,” Mukherjee writes in the book.

The book also explains the cordial but always interesting relationship between the Gandhis and Pranab Mukherjee.

“His non-subservient attitude during his early days of working with Rajiv (Gandhi) might have been enough to further drive home the point….In a personality-centred political culture, supreme leaders may find it a bit wearisome to work with people who have a strong mind of their own backed by a formidable combination of knowledge, experience and expertise. Such a person would never blindly toe the line. By Pranab’s own analysis, this was the basis of the ‘mistrust’ between him and Rajiv–Sonia, and I tend to agree with him,’’ Mukherjee writes in the book in which she refers to her father by his first name.

The book noted how Pranab Mukherjee wanted to be nominated as vice-president in 2002, but was rejected by Sonia Gandhi along with Left parties. “Communists vetoed my candidature… I’m feeling bad. She [Sonia Gandhi] will understand the real character of Communists when they will drop her like hot potato..,” said the book, citing a diary notation?

Pranab Mukherjee was also unhappy with Sonia Gandhi’s treatment of Narasimha Rao after his death in 2004, said the book. The Congress’s refusal to have Rao’s body at the party office, for people to pay their last respects, hurt him.

​”This was one action for which Pranab could never forgive Sonia. He repeatedly told me that it was disgraceful on part of Sonia and her children to refuse to allow the mortal remains of a former PM and Congress president inside the Congress headquarters. Pranab personally implored Sonia to unlock the gate, but she remained silent and unyielding,’’ writes Mukherjee

While the former president, the book said, was very impressed by Sonia Gandhi’s decision to reject the PM’s position in 2004, he did feel let down by her treatment of him. ”She asked my preference of ministry. She said that she will accommodate me first and then others. I asked for home or external affairs indicating home would be the first choice. She said she will give me my preference,” the book cites Pranab Mukherjee as noting in his diary.

But later, Pranab Mukherjee was left bewildered when he was told at the swearing-in ceremony that he would be the defence minister, added the book.

Between 2004 and 2012, he offered his resignation “at least a dozen’’ times — sometimes for trivial reasons such as the suggestion to have a younger cabinet, said the book.

Pranab Mukherjee also felt that Rahul Gandhi was “yet to mature politically”, Mukherjee writes.

In his diary, he wrote about a particular episode in 2013 when Rahul Gandhi tore up an ordinance that attempted to shield lawmakers who had been convicted in criminal cases. “He has all the arrogance of his Gandhi–Nehru lineage without their political acumen….The party’s vice-president had shown such disdain for his own government publicly. Why should people vote for you again?’’ the book cites Pranab Mukherjee as having written in his diary. ”Perhaps his distance from the party and a lack of killer instinct could be reasons for his failure to enthuse the party workers to fight the election — which BJP got from Narendra Modi,” it cites him as noting.

According to the book, Pranab Mukherjee admiration for Modi ranged from appreciating the latter for seeking political advice, and political and leadership outreach.

”On 23 October 2014, he noted in his diary, “PM’s decision to spend Diwali with jawans at Siachen and flood affected people at Srinagar speaks of his political sense which was not visible in any other PM except Indira Gandhi’,” the book cites Pranab Mukherjee as noting.

HT reached out to the Congress for comments but didn’t immediately receive any. Mukherjee was with the Congress till 2021 when she retired from active politics.