Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson and MP Sudhanshu Trivedi on Wednesday took a dig at Congress leader Sonia Gandhi over her role during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, saying she gave up the Prime Minister's post in 2004 but went on to become a “Super PM” through her position as Chairperson of the National Advisory Council (NAC).
Addressing a press conference, Trivedi questioned how Gandhi could relinquish the Prime Minister's office while holding a Cabinet Minister-ranked position in the NAC, alleging that she continued to exercise considerable influence over the government.
“She gave up the post of Prime Minister and became a Super PM. You will not find such an example anywhere in the world, where someone gives up the post of Prime Minister but takes the rank of a Cabinet Minister,” Trivedi said.
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He further questioned Gandhi's appointment as NAC Chairperson, claiming that the position carried the rank of a Cabinet Minister and was held under the Office of Profit provisions.
“She became the Chairperson of the National Advisory Council (NAC), with the rank of a Cabinet Minister, and that too under the Office of Profit,” he said.
“I believe all these facts are before the people of the country, and everyone knows what the Super PM and Super Cabinet were during that period of governance,” Trivedi added.
{{/usCountry}}“I believe all these facts are before the people of the country, and everyone knows what the Super PM and Super Cabinet were during that period of governance,” Trivedi added.
{{/usCountry}}His remarks come amid the political debate surrounding Gandhi's memoir, "Belonging: A Journey of Love", released on Tuesday, in which she has recounted the circumstances that led her to decline the Prime Minister's post after the Congress-led alliance secured victory in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections.
In the memoir, Gandhi writes that she had initially ruled out becoming Prime Minister during a conversation with her children, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Both were opposed to her assuming the position, having experienced the trauma of the assassinations of their grandmother, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and their father, Rajiv Gandhi.
She recalls that alliance leaders later pressed her to accept the post, prompting her to reluctantly say “theek hai”. However, after reflecting on the decision, she informed Rahul Gandhi that she would stick to her original stand.
Gandhi subsequently announced in Parliament that she would follow her “inner voice” and nominated Dr Manmohan Singh as the Congress Parliamentary Party leader, paving the way for him to become Prime Minister.