'My Political Career Made, Unmade By Gandhis:' Mani Shankar Aiyar Says 'Got Used To Being Out Of Congress'
Mani Shankar Aiyar said he has gotten used to being out of the Congress and recalled when he was taken aback when he once wished former party chief Sonia Gandhi on Christmas.
Veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Sunday claimed that the irony of his life was that his political career was "made by Gandhis and unmade by Gandhis" and that he has gotten used to being out of the party.
Aiyar, who has been suspended by the grand old party on several occasions due to his controversial remarks, also recalled an incident when he wished former party chief Sonia Gandhi on Christmas and the political situation of the party back in 2012 when Pranab Mukherjee was named the President.
"For 10 years, I was not given an opportunity to meet Sonia Gandhi one-on-one. I was not given an opportunity, except once, of spending any meaningful time with Rahul Gandhi. And I have not spent time with Priyanka except on one occasion, no, two occasions. She comes on the phone to me, so I’m in touch with them. So, the irony of my life is that my political career was made by the Gandhis and unmade by the Gandhis. And I take it that this is what happens," Aiyar stated in an interview with news agency PTI while discussing his new book, A Maverick in Politics.
"And the reason they have advanced and one that I am unable to accept is that I am too old. In age terms I am 84 and I was 44 when I joined Rajiv Gandhi. So 40 years have passed, of grace. Now disgrace, if it is disgrace. But it is not. I have got used to being out of the party. I am still a member of the party. I’ll never shift, and I will certainly not go to the BJP," he added.
EXCLUSIVE | VIDEO: “For 10 years, I was not given an opportunity to meet Sonia Gandhi one-on-one. I was not given an opportunity, except once, of spending any meaningful time with Rahul Gandhi. And I have not spent time with Priyanka except on one occasion, no, two occasions. She… pic.twitter.com/A40wVsV0vd
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 15, 2024
Recalling the incident when he was taken aback after wishing Sonia Gandhi on Christmas once, Aiyar said: "As I was walking out, I said Ma’am, Merry Christmas. And she says, ‘I’m not a Christian.’ Naturally, I was completely taken aback. But I think she does not see herself as a Christian. Like I don’t see myself as belonging to any particular religion. I am a non-believer, and I’m quite ready to say that. But, being a non-believer doesn’t mean I disrespect religions. What it means is that I respect all religions equally."
EXCLUSIVE | VIDEO: “…As I was walking out, I said Ma’am, Merry Christmas. And she says, ‘I’m not a Christian.’ Naturally, I was completely taken aback. But I think she does not see herself as a Christian. Like I don’t see myself as belonging to any particular religion. I am a… pic.twitter.com/NKqbyCFQ6O
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 15, 2024
The former Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer further recalled the political situation back in 2012 when Pranab Mukherjee was made the President, saying that if the latter would have been named the Prime Minister instead of Manmohan Singh, then the party wouldn't have faced the "massive humiliating defeat" it witnessed after the 2014 Lok Sabha polls loss.
"You see, in 2012, we had two disasters taking place: one was that Sonia Gandhi fell very ill, and Dr Manmohan Singh had six bypasses. So, we were crippled at the head of the government and at the head of the party. But there was one man who was still full of energy, full of ideas, had a certain amount of charisma, and could have run either the party or the government or even both. And that was Pranab Mukherjee," the senior Congress leader said.
"So, Pranab Mukherjee says in his own biography, what I had guessed at that time, that he was hoping that he would be made Prime Minister in place of Dr Manmohan Singh and that Dr Manmohan Singh would be given due respect as the President of India, as somebody who had made a huge contribution to the development of our country," Aiyar said.
"And if that had happened, if Dr Manmohan Singh had become the President and Pranab had become the PM, I still think we would have lost in 2014 (Lok Sabha polls), but not by this massive humiliating defeat that we actually had, where we fell to 44 seats," he added.
EXCLUSIVE | VIDEO: “You see, in 2012, we had two disasters taking place: one was that Sonia Gandhi fell very ill, and Dr Manmohan Singh had six bypasses. So, we were crippled at the head of the government and at the head of the party. But there was one man who was still full of… pic.twitter.com/YVokYR3dDJ
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 15, 2024
Aiyar further revealed that he was delighted when the INDIA alliance came into existence, because he himself had advocated for it.
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