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This is an archive article published on May 12, 2006
Sonia confidence halts anti-PM move
The election results in the states and in Rae Bareli endowed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh8212;about to complete two years in office8212;with a fresh air of authority.
Written by Varghesekgeorge
New Delhi | May 12, 2006 12:00 AM IST
2 min read
2 min read
The election results in the states and in Rae Bareli endowed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh8212;about to complete two years in office8212;with a fresh air of authority. Enough even to perhaps view with equanimity the likely increase in Left assertion at the Centre.
The murmur within the Congress against the PM was muffled in no uncertain terms by party president Sonia Gandhi, who made her displeasure public after a signature campaign was organised to have her replace Manmohan. 8216;8216;This should not have happened,8217;8217; she said, making it clear that her confidence in the prime minister was intact.
Party leader Ajit Jogi had collected signatures of 23 MPs asking Sonia to take charge. This, according to party sources, made Manmohan 8216;8216;extremely unhappy8217;8217;. Soon after, Sonia8217;s political secretary Ahmed Patel called Jogi and conveyed to him the party president8217;s 8216;8216;displeasure8217;8217;, bringing the campaign to a halt. Congress media managers were quick to proclaim the party had nothing to do with the campaign.
The PM8217;s opponents within the Congress have attacked him on and off for his alleged 8216;8216;lack of political acumen8217;8217;. Manishankar Aiyar, Arjun Singh, Natwar Singh are among those who share this view within the party. Manmohan8217;s liberalisation policies, Iran vote and the nuclear deal with US have also been cited as severely damaging for the party8217;s electoral prospects by influential groups within the party.
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