‘Theek Hai’ to ‘No, Never’: Sonia’s Emotional Battle Before Saying No to PM’s Post

Reflecting on the events following the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance's (UPA) victory in the 2004 general elections, Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi has recalled the emotional turmoil she experienced while deciding against taking up the post of Prime Minister.

She described the emotional dilemma, saying that while one part of her firmly rejected the idea of becoming Prime Minister, another reminded her of the responsibility she owed to party workers and voters who had supported Congress.

Sonia Gandhi said, "My emotions were changing, moment to moment. One minute I was clear, the next, I was torn," she recalled.

Describing the conflict between her sense of duty towards the party, her personal reservations and the absence of her late husband Rajiv Gandhi's guidance, she said months before the elections, the family discussed the issue of her becoming Prime Minister. She said both her children, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra, were opposed to the idea because of the tragic experiences they had witnessed in their family.

She said that throughout the election campaign, whenever the question of her becoming Prime Minister was raised publicly, she chose to give a "noncommittal answer". According to her, her immediate priority was to keep Congress united and ensure that the party faced its political opponents as a cohesive team.

"It wasn't an option to allow a leadership struggle to arise between the contenders in our party. I kept my views firmly to myself, not even confiding in my closest colleagues. I just knew instinctively that the person to carry forward the legacy of past Congress governments would have to be someone with long experience in government and an impeccable record of integrity," she said.

The Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson said that several attempts were made to persuade her to accept the top post. At one such moment, she felt "overpowered" by their insistence; she eventually responded with the words, "Theek hai". The alliance leaders immediately interpreted as an acceptance of the Prime Minister's post and began congratulating her even before she could complete what she wanted to say.

She recalled how this situation had hurt Rahul and Priyanka, who thought that she had reversed her earlier position. She said both of them approached her with visible concern, as they had always considered themselves responsible for protecting their mother following the assassination of their father, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

"Both of them came striding towards me with perturbed expressions on their faces: my two children who saw themselves as my protectors after the death of their father. I was already exhausted by the vehemence of the alliance leaders; now I had to face them," she wrote.

Sonia Gandhi said she was instinctively aware that her decisions would have ramifications extending beyond the Congress and influence the future direction of the country. She said India needed stable and capable governance that could move the country away from divisive politics and focus on development and progress.

"What we needed was firm and able governance to steer India away from divisive politics. More than anything else, we needed development and progress. My entry into politics had been driven by the conviction that the BJP, propelled by the RSS and its many fanatical wings, would encourage strife between communities and subvert the Constitution if they came to power," she said.

"The BJP and its allies would, for certain, use my 'foreign origin' as an issue; they would stir up emotions and create havoc that would subsume every other good -- of the past, and of the coming years. How could I agree to holding the office of prime minister knowing it could wound my country, the country that I loved? No, never!" and that made her convince her party members about her decision not to become the PM.

She said, "Power in itself has never attracted me, nor has position been my goal. My aim has always been to defend the secular foundation of our nation and the poor of our country -- the creed sacred to Indiraji and Rajivji," she said.

She then sought the members' approval to nominate her successor and announced the name of Dr Manmohan Singh as the leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party. Once his name was announced, Rahul and Priyanka had stood up applauding her decision.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gowri V

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A Journey of Three Decades Time passes faster than we realise. What feels like a journey that began only yesterday has today grown into more than three decades of a meaningful and fulfilling life devoted to education, journalism, and the empowerment of young minds. My professional journey began with journalism training in New Delhi in 1979. I went on to work as an independent journalist, drawing on my fluency in both English and Telugu. Over the years, I have edited and worked on Telugu articles in both languages, an experience that strengthened my command of language and sharpened my understanding of society, people, and contemporary issues. Yet, my principal profession and enduring passion have always been teaching. My decision to become a teacher was not merely a career choice—it was a calling. Teaching offered me the rare privilege of inspiring young minds, guiding them through their formative years, and making a lasting difference in their lives. I found immense satisfaction in simplifying complex concepts, nurturing curiosity, encouraging independent thought, and building confidence among students. Every moment in the classroom—every question, every moment of discovery, and every spark of understanding—reminded me why I had chosen this path: to empower young people through knowledge, values, and essential life skills. My teaching career began at the grassroots level as a Montessori teacher and gradually progressed to the position of Vice Principal. I had the opportunity to work in reputed educational institutions, including Dilsukhnagar Public School in Hyderabad, where I shouldered both teaching and administrative responsibilities. Although I have always considered myself, at heart, a teacher, my administrative experience enabled me to understand and contribute to the education system from a much broader perspective. For my students, I have always tried to be an approachable and dependable presence—someone they could turn to not only for academic support, but also for guidance and emotional encouragement. At the same time, I developed a reputation as a firm disciplinarian who believed that integrity, fairness, responsibility, and discipline were fundamental to education. I was also consistently appreciated for maintaining clear communication with parents and staff and for ensuring that examinations and other academic processes were conducted with transparency, fairness, and efficiency. As my career progressed, however, I began to feel that academic education alone was not enough. This realization led me to work more closely with students following the SSC and CBSE curricula, while consciously bringing life-skills education into my teaching. I came to understand that education becomes truly meaningful when it prepares children not merely to pass examinations, but to face life. Teaching emotional resilience, self-reliance, social awareness, communication, decision-making, and other practical life skills often had a deeper and more lasting impact than academic achievement alone. I saw how these skills could help students navigate challenges with greater confidence, maturity, and responsibility. My academic background provided a strong foundation for this approach. My degree in Psychology from the University of Madras helped me develop a deeper understanding of young people's minds, their emotional needs, and the influence of their family and social environments. My M.A. in Telugu with First Class from Osmania University.

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