Stunning
her supporters, Sonia Gandhi announced Tuesday she would "humbly
decline" to be the next prime minister of India, sidestepping
Hindu nationalist outrage over the prospect of a foreign-born woman
leading the nation.
Gandhi, an Italian who became an Indian citizen 21 years ago when
she married former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, did not say whom
she would nominate for the post. The favorite appeared to be Manmohan
Singh, the architect of India's economic liberalization program
during the last Congress-led government from 1991 to 1996.
"The post of prime minister has not been my aim," Gandhi
told newly elected Congress party members in Parliament. "I
was always certain that if ever I found myself in the position I
am in today, I would follow my inner voice. I humbly decline the
post."
Gandhi's Congress party and allies trounced
the Hindu-nationalist party of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
and his Democratic National Alliance in national elections that
ended last week. They were swept to power by millions of impoverished
Indians angered over being left out of the country's economic boom.
As head of the party, Gandhi had been expected to become prime
minister. But she would likely have led a coalition government dependent
on the outside support of two communist parties, who oppose continuing
economic reforms such as privatizing state-run companies.
That prospect spooked investors
and caused financial markets to tumble Monday, when the Bombay Stock
Exchange registered its biggest drop in its 129-year history.
The benchmark index rose again Tuesday
on news that Singh could be the new Congress party candidate for
prime minister, though it was unclear how his coalition would be
any different from the one Gandhi might have led.
But the new Congress party lawmakers shouted and pleaded with Gandhi
to change her mind, and she had to stop several times to get the
audience to quiet down. It then passed a resolution calling on her
to reconsider.
Her voice quavered, after having listened for two hours to the
new members of Parliament: "I have listened to your views,
your pain, your anguish at the decision I have taken. I am aware
I am causing anguish to you also, but I think you should trust me,
allow me to take my decision."
Gandhi, 57, will remain president of the party, and will likely
exert a strong influence on the government. If she had accepted
the post, she would have been the fourth member of the fabled Nehru-Gandhi
dynasty to be prime minister.
Jyoti Basu, a senior leader of the Communist Party of India-Marxist
and a Congress party ally, said Gandhi's children did not want her
to take the post. "Rahul and Priyanka said, `We have lost our
father, we don't want to lose our mother as well,' " he said.
Gandhi's husband and mother-in-law were past prime ministers who
were both assassinated. Rajiv Gandhi was killed by a suicide bomber
in 1991, and Indira Gandhi was shot to death by her own bodyguards
in 1984.
"This is a woman whose husband was killed by terrorists, a
woman whose mother-in-law died of gunshot wounds. Of course, there
are security concerns," said Jayanti Natarajan, senior Congress
party leader.
Members of the Vajpayee's Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party
had demonstrated against the possibility of a foreign-born prime
minister and pledged to boycott Gandhi's
swearing in ceremony if she were named leader.
They said they were delighted with Gandhi's decision.
Gandhi was born into a Roman Catholic family but refuses to discuss
her religion. Singh, the likely prime minister, is a Sikh.
Gandhi's announcement in the massive, colonial-era Parliament building
was attended by 145 newly elected lawmakers from her Congress party
as well as her children Rahul and Priyanka.
"It is my inner voice, my conscience," she said. "My
responsibility at this critical time is to provide India with a
secular government that is strong and stable."
After the announcement, a string of Congress lawmakers lined up
to make speeches, pleading with Gandhi to reconsider.
Renuka Choudhury, who was close to tears, told Gandhi it was the
party's desire "that you continue to lead us, because it is
the need of the hour, not just for women, not just for children,
but as a human being who has upheld the finest tradition of what
it means to be an Indian."
But close family friend and Gandhi media adviser, Rajiv Desai,
said Gandhi never intended to become prime minister but fought to
put a secular government back into power.
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