The leader who had created a storm by implying that no democratic process is involved at decision-making level in the party, seems to have further aggravated the scenario, through the comments.

“When Emergency was declared in 1975, I was never very much in favour of it. I agreed with the need for declaring it but I realised the possibilities of its misuse. But neither Indira-ji nor Sanjay-ji ever stopped me from expressing myself during Emergency… but at present the evaluation of loyalty is done in a very limited context,”
Mr Singh said immediately after a function at which a copy of a book on him was presented to President Pratibha Patil by its editor Kanhaiyalal Nandan.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee were present at the function. The book, Mohein Kahan Vishram (Where is the Rest for Me) is a compilation of articles on Mr Singh, and includes a long interview of him with its editor in which he alluded that no democratic norms were followed in decision making in the party.

Mr Singh’s reference to Indira and Sanjay Gandhi’s leadership during the time of Emergency is being seen as an indirect criticism of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, though he did not ever mention about them or the late Rajiv Gandhi, while referring to the Nehru-Gandhi family during his speech.