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Dr. Manmohan Singh was right person to become PM in 2004: Pranab Mukherjee

by IBNS 17 Oct 2017, 08:31 am

New Delhi, Oct 17 (IBNS): While the Congress party is often criticised for choosing Dr. Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister in 2004, former President Pranab Mukherjee believes the decision taken at that juncture was appropriate.

In a recent interview with NDTV, Mukherjee, said: "Dr. Manmohan Singh was the right person to be chosen to lead the country at that point of time (2004). He provided the right leadership to the nation as a Prime Minister. "

Though Sonia Gandhi was chosen by the UPA to lead the nation after winning the 2004 general election, she decided to stay from the portfolio. Singh was then chosen to become the PM of the country.

Mukherjee served as the defence, external affairs and finance ministers at different point of times in the Manmohan cabinet between 2004 and 2012.

Former President Mukherjee, who has been succeeded by Ram Nath Kovind months back, broke his silence on the political issues in the course of the interview.

At a time the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is aiming for a Congress-free India, Mukherjee refused to accept such a probability.

"I do not subscribe this philosophy that in a multi-party democratic system, we can get rid of any political party. Every political party has come to stay, play political role depending on their acceptability of their philosophy, ideology to the people of this country. Therefore, as a political thesis, I think this is not very correct," the former President said.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, the Congress had been reduced to a mere 45 seats across the country as the BJP stormed into the political power. 

Since 2014, the Congress, the oldest political party in the country, has lost several state elections.

Though Mukherjee considers the BJP as the agenda setter in the country presently, he also stated the agendas were all curated by the Congress.

"No doubt the BJP has emerged as an important political party and as a ruling (party) they have the advantage of setting agendas on which parties and persons respond and react. But Congress has not lost its relevance. The agenda which we are having today is essentially an inclusive India which was set by the Congress, precisely, the UPA government led by the Congress under Dr. Manmohan Singh," the former Congress veteran said.

However, Mukherjee, who has a good term with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, lauded the latter calling him a hard worker.

Appreciating the skills of the Prime Minister, Mukherjee said: "He has the unique capacity to work very hard with a strong determination to achieve his objectives. He also has a clear vision that what he wants to achieve and he works hard to achieve that." 

"This one should remember that it was not easy for him to come from the state to the parliament but he grasped the intricacies of the administration, internal dynamics of Indian politics, foreign policies, relationship with the neighbours" he added.

Mukherjee became the President in 2012, succeeding Pratibha Patil.

He had been considered as the number number two man in the Congress government under former Prime Minister late Indira Gandhi in 1970 and early 1980s.