Kalam was ready to appoint Sonia Gandhi as PM in 2004

Ending speculation that has persisted for four years as to whether President A P J Abdul Kalam was unwilling to appoint Sonia Gandhi as Prime Minister, it is now being disclosed that he had a letter of appointment ready for her.

Giving first insights to what transpired at Rashtrapati Bhavan during that period, P M Nair, Secretary to Kalam, says the President was advised to sign the letter, shake hands with Gandhi and congratulate her. Kalam was also told to ask Sonia when she would like to be sworn in. Four days after the general election threw up a mixed result with no single party having a majority, the President asked "What do we do".

Nair in his book 'The Kalam Effect: My years with the President', excerpts of which were made available to PTI, said the President was advised that he should satisfy himself that there is a party or a coalition of parties which can form a stable government and then invite the leader of that party or the coalition of parties to form the government.

On the advice of his aides, the President sent a letter on May 17, 2004 inviting Gandhi to Rashtrapati Bhavan the same day.

Kalam was told that Gandhi will come with letters of support from different parties. "You do not have to read all of those. Just leaf through them and ring the bell," Nair suggested to the President, saying he would be in the adjacent ADC's room with the letter appointing Gandhi as Prime Minister.

"Please sign it, shake hands with her and congratulate her. You should also ask when she would like to be sworn in," Nair advised Kalam who said "Okay". The book is expected to hit the stands tomorrow. (PTI)

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