Manmohan Singh’s former aide, MoS reveal disturbing events that troubled Manmohan Singh as PM

Former PM Manmohan Singh's tenure was marked by significant distress due to internal party conflicts and dual power centers, yet he prioritized party interests, according to insights from his former Principal Secretary TKA Nair.

Thiruvananthapuram: In the wake of the passing of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, some individuals who worked closely with him have shared insights into his tenure. TKA Nair, Singh's former Principal Secretary, revealed to Asianet News that there were several incidents during Singh's time as Prime Minister that caused him significant distress. Despite this, Nair emphasized that Singh never took actions that could harm the party's interests.

PJ Kurien, who was a Minister of State for Industry,, also spoke with Asianet News, recalling that one particular event, when Rahul Gandhi tore up an ordinance seeking to overturn the rule that disqualifies convicted MPs and MLAs with a minimum two-year sentence, deeply troubled Singh. However, Kurien noted that Singh continued to uphold party discipline in the face of this controversy.

TKA Nair said that while Singh served as Prime Minister, political power during the UPA era largely resided with Sonia Gandhi. Nair claimed that internal factions within the Congress party attempted to sway Singh on various issues, including the nuclear deal and he was also aware of efforts to remove him from office. Nair's comments suggest that Singh’s distress may have been exacerbated by the confusion created by the existence of dual power centers within the party.