Country will be safe in Manmohan’s hands, says Sonia

By Our Economy Bureau | 20 May 2004

New Delhi: President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam yesterday invited former finance minister Manmohan Singh to form the government at the centre. A formal swearing-in date is expected to be conveyed to the President by today.

This follows Singh''s formal election as the leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party after efforts to persuade the party president, Sonia Gandhi, to retract her decision on not to taking up the top post met with renewed failure.

Speaking to the press after meeting with the president, Singh said that the burden of prime ministership had been thrust upon him, despite the political mandate being in favour of the Congress president. A relaxed and smiling Sonia said, "our country will be safe under Dr Manmohan Singh''s hands". Sonia would, however, continue to be the congress president and chairperson of the congress parliamentary party (CPP).The Congress has made amendments to its constitution to enable the creation of a chairperson of the CPP who would then nominate the leader of the CPP to head the government.