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HT Archive: Manmohan Singh’s two stints in top office

Dec 28, 2024 06:32 AM IST

Manmohan Singh, backed by Sonia Gandhi, becomes PM in 2004, promising economic reforms. In 2009, he returns to power with Congress's best tally in 18 years.

2004: First term as PM

Manmohan Singh takes the oath as Prime Minister in 2004. (HT ARCHIVE)
Manmohan Singh takes the oath as Prime Minister in 2004. (HT ARCHIVE)

Manmohan Singh was nominated leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) on Wednesday. Later, he went to Rashtrapati Bhawan and was invited to form the government. He is likely to be sworn in as Prime Minister on Saturday.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi is likely to go to Sriperumbudur on Friday, the anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination and return in time for the ceremony.

Sonia will be the chairperson of the CPP. Its constitution was amended at Wednesday’s meeting making provisions for a chairperson to be elected by all MPs. The chairperson was given the power to nominate the leaders of the CPP, Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha. Following the amendment, Sonia was unanimously elected chairperson and a resolution was passed authorising her to name the leaders of the two Houses and other office-bearers.

Sonia then made a statement committing herself to the party and asking her party men to give their unstinting support to Manmohan Singh. “I am not going anywhere. I am still very much in politics. I will continue as Congress president and chairperson, CPP, as long as you want me to,” she said.

After his meeting with Kalam, Manmohan Singh spoke about the direction in which his government would take economic reforms. “ We have always said that economic reforms with a human face will continue,” he said. “ We can take forward the process of social and economic development to realise the vision of Rajiv Gandhi.”

Manmohan Singh also said that the mandate of the people was for Sonia Gandhi to become the Prime Minister. “However, she has decided that in the best interests of the country that burden should be passed on to me,” he added.

When asked whether he was a reluctant Prime Minister, Singh replied that even after being persuaded a great deal, Sonia had declined to be Prime Minister. “ I feel humble and I will work under Sonia Gandhi’s guidance and support,” he said.

Standing by his side, Sonia said, “ I think the country will be safe under Dr Manmohan Singh.”

Earlier in the day, Manmohan Singh’s candidature took final shape after Sonia discussed the matter with her allies and the parties supporting the alliance. She held meetings with DMK chief M Karunanidhi, CPI(M) general secretary HS Surjeet and RJD president Laloo Prasad Yadav to seek support for Manmohan Singh. All of them agreed to extend support.

Sonia’s meeting with Karunanidhi also resulted in the DMK agreeing to be part of the Congress-led government.

Other allies such as the MDMK, JMM, PMK and Telangana Rashtriya Samiti declared unequivocal support to the Congress nominee for the Prime Minister’s post. Both MDMK leader Vaiko and the PMK’s P. Ramadoss called on Manmohan Singh.

2009: Return to power

With the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) trashing all predictions of a tight race, Manmohan Singh (76) will take fresh oath this week, only the second Indian Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru in 1962 to return to power after a full five-year term.

With 206 seats 61 more than 2004 India’s grand old party ran up its best tally in 18 years, winning urban and rural seats from across the country.

The victory also boosted the standing of party general secretary Rahul Gandhi (39) who led the charge into India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, where the Congress won 21 seats, the highest in 25 years.

Latest results and leads indicate the UPA is around a dozen seats short of the halfway mark of 272 in a House of 543. The alliance will bridge the gap through independents and smaller outfits.

With 60% India now under 35 years of age, expect to see some younger MPs getting ministerial berths, as it happened in 1984 when Rajiv Gandhi led the Congress to 404 seats, its best showing ever. The party won 232 seats in 1991.

“People have appreciated the work done by us,” said Congress president Sonia Gandhi, beaming, as Singh stood stoically by her side. As Sonia spoke to reporters at her 10, Janpath residence on Saturday, Congress workers across the country distributed sweets, burst crackers and danced in the streets.

With the Left and the BJP tally declining, the verdict is being seen as an approval of the UPA government’s policies, particularly the redistribution of wealth to India’s poorest through unprecedented welfare schemes that totalled nearly 1,00,000 crore in rural development, agriculture, health and education.

The Prime Minister’s image as an able and incorruptible administrator and reformer coupled with urban makeovers, helped the party deliver all seven seats in Delhi and all six in Mumbai to the Congress.

For the BJP it was back to square one, plummeting from its 2004 figure of 138 to 116 on Saturday, close to its 1991 tally when it began its ascendancy to become India’s ruling party by 1998.

Its best performance was 182 seats in 1999.

The 15th Lok Sabha election also rejected the concept of a non-BJP, non-Congress third front pushed by the Left, particularly the CPM, which declined in its bastions of West Bengal and Kerala.

Sonia’s popularity grew over the last five years after she renounced the post of prime minister in 2004, and later when she resigned as a Parliament member when the BJP tried to build a campaign against her that she was holding an office of profit.

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