December 24, 2024 09:16 am (IST)
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PM surrendered to Sonia: Sanjaya Baru
New Delhi, Apr 11 (IBNS): Former advisor to the Prime Minister, Sanjaya Baru has triggered a controversy by writing in his book 'The Accidental Prime Minister', that Indian PM Manmohan Singh surrendered to pressure from Congress president Sonia Gandhi and allies.
In his book, Baru has written that Singh was "defanged" by the Congress in his second term with Sonia, deciding over key appointments to the Cabinet and to the PMO.
Baru also wrote that Singh seemed to "surrender" to her and to the allies.
"Bit by bit, in the space of a few weeks he was defanged. He thought he could induct the ministers he wanted into his team. Sonia nipped that hope in the bud by offering the finance portfolio to Pranab (Mukherjee), without even consulting him," Baru has written in the book.
Baru has also quoted the PM in page number 301 of the book, published by Penguin, as telling him: "That creates confusion. I have to accept that the party president is the centre of power. The government is answerable to the party."
In 2004, Sanjaya Baru left a career as chief editor of the Financial Express to join Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as his media adviser in United Progressive Alliance (UPA).
Meanwhile, the PMO has reportedly hit back at Baru saying he was writing fiction for commercial gains. The PMO accused him of taking advantage of his access to the office for his own benefit.
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