Fri Dec 27 05:14:50 UTC 2024: ## Surprise Appointment: Manmohan Singh Becomes India’s Prime Minister After Unexpected 2004 Election Results

**New Delhi** – In a stunning upset, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) coalition secured a victory in the 2004 Indian general elections, defeating the incumbent BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government. Pre-election polls and the BJP’s “India Shining” campaign had heavily favored a BJP win.

Despite Congress’s victory, the path to forming a government was far from straightforward. While Congress president Sonia Gandhi was expected to become Prime Minister, she unexpectedly chose to step aside, citing personal reasons. This decision came amidst controversy surrounding her Italian origins, with BJP leaders threatening protests should she assume the office. Furthermore, internal resistance within Congress, particularly from her son Rahul Gandhi, also played a role in her decision.

This paved the way for the appointment of Dr. Manmohan Singh, a respected economist and former Finance Minister, as India’s 14th Prime Minister on May 22, 2004. Dr. Singh, known for his quiet demeanor and lack of a mass political base, was sworn in at Rashtrapati Bhavan in a ceremony attended by family, political allies, and his predecessor, Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Though initially dubbed the “Accidental Prime Minister,” Dr. Singh’s decade-long tenure saw the implementation of landmark social programs, including the Right to Information Act, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), and the Right to Education Act. However, his premiership also faced significant challenges, most notably a 2008 confidence vote stemming from the Indo-US nuclear deal, which his government narrowly survived. The UPA ultimately lost power in 2014 to Narendra Modi’s BJP. Dr. Singh subsequently left public life, expressing confidence that history would judge his tenure more favorably than contemporary assessments.

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