The memoir details Sonia Gandhi's disagreements with Rajiv Gandhi's governance, notably questioning his administration's controversial handling of the 1985 Shah Bano case. It also chronicles her devastation after his 1991 assassination, during which her children shielded her from media coverage while she initially refused party leadership. Driven by the party's weakening standing, she officially took the helm in 1998, subsequently weathering a 1999 internal rebellion regarding her foreign origin.
Key points
Sonia Gandhi initially declined the Congress party presidency following Rajiv Gandhi's 19…: Sonia Gandhi initially declined the Congress party presidency following Rajiv Gandhi's 1991 assassination, remaining in personal seclusion.
Deep concern over the Congress party's declining political position motivated her formal…: Deep concern over the Congress party's declining political position motivated her formal return to active politics in 1997.
Her early tenure as Congress president encountered serious opposition, including a 1999 i…: Her early tenure as Congress president encountered serious opposition, including a 1999 internal rebellion centered on her foreign origin.
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One of the most significant episodes in the memoir is Sonia's account of the Congress's unsuccessful attempt to form a government in 1999 (Photo: PTI).
The Shah Bano controversy, the Babri Masjid demolition and the 1999 revolt within the Congress over her foreign origin are among the political episodes Sonia Gandhi revisits in her memoir, offering her account of decisions and events that shaped the party and her own political journey.The book also recalls personal milestones, including the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 and her subsequent withdrawal from public life. It traces how her concerns over the Congress's declining political position eventually led her to join active politics and take over as party president in 1998.In the memoir, named Belonging: A Journey of Love, five episodes stand out for their political significance, from disagreements over policy decisions during Rajiv Gandhi's tenure to the internal rebellion that threatened her leadership of the Congress in 1999.
Shah Bano case (1985): Sonia questions Rajiv Gandhi's decision
Sonia Gandhi recalls disagreeing with her husband, then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, over…
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