<p>On May 17, 2004, Rahul walked into a room in 10-Janpath where Sonia Gandhi was holding a meeting with Manmohan Singh and others and gave her an ultimatum. And in hours, Sonia Gandhi would talk to Congress top leaders about her 'inner-voice' renouncing prime ministership.</p>.<p>A new book, titled <em>How Prime Ministers Decide</em>, by veteran journalist Neerja Chowdhury recalls the drama that led to Sonia's announcement, prompted by Rahul's "fear for his mother's life". </p>.<p>Rahul had walked into the room during a meeting between Sonia, Manmohan Singh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Natwar Singh, and Suman Dubey, when the drama unfolded. The book recalls how Rahul "threatened to take an extreme step" if his mother did not listen to him and go ahead with taking up the post of the Prime Minister.</p>.<p>Only the previous day, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had read out the "final resolution" at a dinner meeting hosted by Sonia for pre-poll allies and Left parties at her residence, in which Sonia's name was proposed for prime ministership.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/modi-govt-indifferent-to-pain-anguish-of-manipur-people-congress-chief-kharge-1242461.html">Modi govt indifferent to pain, anguish of Manipur people: Congress chief Kharge</a></strong></p>.<p>At the dinner meeting on May 16, the book says, Sonia was "unusually reclusive" and sat in a corner, and surprisingly talked mostly to V P Singh, who had "politically hurt her husband the most" but was approached earlier by her Political Secretary Ahmed Patel to drum up support for her prime ministership.</p>.<p>The book says that Manmohan Singh being called to the meeting with Rahul was significant, as he was the only person present besides the immediate family, and Suman Dubey, who was a family friend. Natwar Singh had reached there by accident while looking for Manmohan Singh.</p>.<p>"It was clear that Sonia Gandhi wanted all those present to know about her decision and learn about Rahul’s feelings directly from him. Manmohan Singh’s presence at the meeting showed that by then Sonia had made up her mind to appoint him Prime Minister," the book says.</p>.<p>"She (Sonia) was sitting there on the sofa.... Manmohan Singh and Priyanka (were there as well). Suman Dubey came shortly thereafter. Sonia Gandhi was looking distraught.... Then Rahul came in and said in front of all of us, 'I will not let you become prime minister. My father was assassinated, my ‘Dadi’ was assassinated. In six months, you will be killed'," the book quotes Natwar Singh as saying.</p>.<p>This was no ordinary threat, recalled Natwar Singh. "Rahul is a strong-willed person. He gave Sonia 24 hours to decide," the book says. Sonia was "visibly agitated and in tears" after Rahul said that he was prepared to "take any possible step to prevent his mother" from taking up the prime ministership. </p>.<p>"Manmohan Singh was speechless. Priyanka did say something like 'Rahul is against it and he is capable of doing anything'," the book says. Natwar Singh said it was Rahul's threat to do something drastic that made Sonia change her mind. "Basically her son made the decision for her... As a mother it was impossible for her to ignore Rahul," Natwar Singh was quoted as saying.</p>.<p>V P Singh and Somnath Chatterjee would later say Sonia’s decision to give up the prime ministership was ‘because of her children’. When Sonia conveyed her decision to her allies, they were "very upset". RJD's Lalu Prasad shot back, "Why did you not tell us earlier? We have learnt about it from TVm" while Marxist veteran Harkishan Singh Surjeet tried to dissuade her.</p>.<p>According to the book, several leaders tried to reason with Sonia but "the mother in her had overpowered the politician".</p>
<p>On May 17, 2004, Rahul walked into a room in 10-Janpath where Sonia Gandhi was holding a meeting with Manmohan Singh and others and gave her an ultimatum. And in hours, Sonia Gandhi would talk to Congress top leaders about her 'inner-voice' renouncing prime ministership.</p>.<p>A new book, titled <em>How Prime Ministers Decide</em>, by veteran journalist Neerja Chowdhury recalls the drama that led to Sonia's announcement, prompted by Rahul's "fear for his mother's life". </p>.<p>Rahul had walked into the room during a meeting between Sonia, Manmohan Singh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Natwar Singh, and Suman Dubey, when the drama unfolded. The book recalls how Rahul "threatened to take an extreme step" if his mother did not listen to him and go ahead with taking up the post of the Prime Minister.</p>.<p>Only the previous day, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had read out the "final resolution" at a dinner meeting hosted by Sonia for pre-poll allies and Left parties at her residence, in which Sonia's name was proposed for prime ministership.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/modi-govt-indifferent-to-pain-anguish-of-manipur-people-congress-chief-kharge-1242461.html">Modi govt indifferent to pain, anguish of Manipur people: Congress chief Kharge</a></strong></p>.<p>At the dinner meeting on May 16, the book says, Sonia was "unusually reclusive" and sat in a corner, and surprisingly talked mostly to V P Singh, who had "politically hurt her husband the most" but was approached earlier by her Political Secretary Ahmed Patel to drum up support for her prime ministership.</p>.<p>The book says that Manmohan Singh being called to the meeting with Rahul was significant, as he was the only person present besides the immediate family, and Suman Dubey, who was a family friend. Natwar Singh had reached there by accident while looking for Manmohan Singh.</p>.<p>"It was clear that Sonia Gandhi wanted all those present to know about her decision and learn about Rahul’s feelings directly from him. Manmohan Singh’s presence at the meeting showed that by then Sonia had made up her mind to appoint him Prime Minister," the book says.</p>.<p>"She (Sonia) was sitting there on the sofa.... Manmohan Singh and Priyanka (were there as well). Suman Dubey came shortly thereafter. Sonia Gandhi was looking distraught.... Then Rahul came in and said in front of all of us, 'I will not let you become prime minister. My father was assassinated, my ‘Dadi’ was assassinated. In six months, you will be killed'," the book quotes Natwar Singh as saying.</p>.<p>This was no ordinary threat, recalled Natwar Singh. "Rahul is a strong-willed person. He gave Sonia 24 hours to decide," the book says. Sonia was "visibly agitated and in tears" after Rahul said that he was prepared to "take any possible step to prevent his mother" from taking up the prime ministership. </p>.<p>"Manmohan Singh was speechless. Priyanka did say something like 'Rahul is against it and he is capable of doing anything'," the book says. Natwar Singh said it was Rahul's threat to do something drastic that made Sonia change her mind. "Basically her son made the decision for her... As a mother it was impossible for her to ignore Rahul," Natwar Singh was quoted as saying.</p>.<p>V P Singh and Somnath Chatterjee would later say Sonia’s decision to give up the prime ministership was ‘because of her children’. When Sonia conveyed her decision to her allies, they were "very upset". RJD's Lalu Prasad shot back, "Why did you not tell us earlier? We have learnt about it from TVm" while Marxist veteran Harkishan Singh Surjeet tried to dissuade her.</p>.<p>According to the book, several leaders tried to reason with Sonia but "the mother in her had overpowered the politician".</p>
