Pranab Mukherjee was more qualified to become PM, had reasons to be upset, says Manmohan Singh

Pranab Mukherjee was more qualified to become the Prime Minister and he had reasons to be upset when Congress President Sonia Gandhi chose me to become the PM, said Dr Manmohan Singh on Friday.

He said that Mukherjee was correctly upset as he was senior to him and had “knack to tackle issues”.

"Pranab knew I had no choice and any part in this decision," Manmohan Singh said.

“He had a reason to feel upset but he respected me and we have a great relationship which will continue till we live," added ex-PM.

He was speaking at the launch of former President Pranab Mukherjee's new book, 'The Coalition Years: 1996-2012,' in Delhi.

#WATCH: Manmohan Singh says Pranab Mukherjee had every reason to feel a grievance that he was better qualified than I was, to become PM pic.twitter.com/8vMy4bBogL

— ANI (@ANI) October 13, 2017

Singh, who was an economist and Rajya Sabha MP was chosen to be the Prime Minister of India in 2014 after Sonia Gandhi sacrificed the top office job.

Sonia’s decision came as a surprise for many in the party and Opposition as she chose a junior Manmohan Singh over more experienced Pranab Mukherjee.

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Praising Pranab Mukherjee, former prime minister of the country said, “He is a politician by choice and it comes naturally to him... I became a politician by accident."

However, Pranab Mukherjee who became President in 2012 had said at the time of his nomination for country’s top constitutional post that he was not upset after being overlooked for Prime Minister’s job.

"Why should I regret? The party President has trusted me, has considered me capable of discharging certain responsibilities, by me alone. That is a great trust," Mr Mukherjee had said during a media interview.