Sun Dec 15 11:21:00 UTC 2024: ## Aiyar Claims Congress’ 2014 Defeat Avoidable with Mukherjee as PM
**NEW DELHI** – Veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar has claimed that the Congress party’s devastating 2014 election loss, where they secured only 44 seats, could have been avoided if Pranab Mukherjee had been appointed Prime Minister instead of Manmohan Singh. Aiyar, in an interview promoting his new book, “A Maverick in Politics,” attributed the defeat to a lack of governance in 2013, stemming from the serious illnesses of Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh.
Aiyar argues that Mukherjee, who was still energetic and charismatic at the time, could have effectively led either the party or the government. He cites Mukherjee’s own biography, suggesting Mukherjee hoped to become Prime Minister while Singh transitioned to the presidency. Aiyar believes this scenario would have resulted in a significantly less humiliating defeat, perhaps securing closer to 140 seats instead of the disastrous 44.
The former Union Minister points to the stark contrast between the Congress’s 414 seats in the 1984 election and their 2014 performance, highlighting the impact of the leadership crisis and unsubstantiated allegations against the party. He contends that Mukherjee’s strong leadership would have provided the necessary governance to mitigate the damage, even if it couldn’t have secured a victory.
Aiyar also notes that while Sonia Gandhi reportedly considered appointing Mukherjee as Prime Minister, she ultimately maintained the status quo. The reasons behind this decision remain unclear. The article concludes with a brief biography highlighting Mukherjee’s long and impactful career within the Congress party.
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