Politics · India Bureau
Sonia Gandhi recalls warning Rajiv against PM post after Indira's death
The Congress president has revealed that she pleaded with her husband not to assume the prime ministerial office following Indira Gandhi's assassination in 1984, fearing he too could become a target of violence.
LSN India ·
Sonia Gandhi has disclosed that she made desperate attempts to dissuade Rajiv Gandhi from accepting the position of prime minister in the aftermath of his mother Indira Gandhi's assassination, concerned that high office would expose him to similar dangers.
In her account, Sonia described being gripped by overwhelming anger and anguish as she contemplated the prospect of Rajiv stepping into the top political position at such a volatile moment. The combination of grief following Indira's violent death and the perceived risks of holding India's highest office weighed heavily on her.
Sonia's warnings reflected the turbulent political climate of 1984, when assassinations and political violence remained fresh in the national consciousness. Despite her reservations, Rajiv ultimately accepted the position and went on to serve as Prime Minister from 1984 to 1989, until his own assassination in 1991 at a campaign rally in Tamil Nadu.
The revelation provides rare personal insight into the family's private deliberations during one of independent India's most consequential and turbulent periods, offering a glimpse into the personal toll exacted by high political office on those closest to its holders.