Sonia enormous source of strength for me: PM

He said that having Sonia as the President and UPA chairperson and him being the PM has worked very well.

Sonia Gandhi has been an enormous source of strength for the Government and has helped a lot in the smooth functioning of the coalition, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said.

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"She is not weakening me but is an enormous source of strength for me. Ms Gandhi takes upon herself many of the functions which I may not be able to perform that effectively."

Asked whether Sonia was weaker than the PM, he said that Sonia had legitimately performed many functions as the Chairperson of the UPA and as the Congress Party President.

In reply to a question regarding the dichotomy, Dr Singh said that the system of having Sonia Gandhi as the Congress President and UPA chairperson and him being the Prime Minister has worked very well.

"We have worked in a manner which is promoting harmony between the Government and the coalition partners," he said at a press conference.

It is Sonia who guides the smooth functioning of the Government and, therefore, is an enormous source of strength, he added.