Sonia Gandhi Interview: Congress senior leader Sonia Gandhi, in an interview with the British newspaper The Guardian, discussed several key moments of her political career. While she spoke her heart out about the Emergency era and the assassinations of former Prime Ministers Indira and Rajiv Gandhi, the Congress veteran was reportedly hesitant upon being asked about the Gandhi family's control over the party. In her response, Gandhi stated that the question should rather be asked of the party and its leaders.

Sonia Gandhi's Response 

While answering the questions on nepotism, Sonia Gandhi stated that the party would better answer the reason behind Gandhi's family's command over the decades. As per the British newspaper, the Congress veteran was not very comfortable with the question. She further stated that everyone in the party contest elections, adding that they have received mixed responses. "We all fight elections: we win them, we lose them. All of us have," Sonia Gandhi was quoted as saying.

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Gandhi Family's Grip Over Congress

The British Daily has published the interview on Saturday along with an extract from her memoir "Belonging: A Journey of Love", which is scheduled to be released next week. Since India's independence in 1947, the Nehru-Gandhi family has maintained command over Congress, the oldest political party in the country. First Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was the de facto leader of the party, followed by Indira Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhi (briefly), Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and now Rahul Gandhi.

Congress' Performance In Recent Years 

While the Gandhi-Nehru family was considered the biggest asset in the initial decades, Congress has faced back-to-back defeats in the last three general elections, with each time failing to cross the three-digit mark. While some of the leaders, including Shashi Tharoor and Manish Tewari, sought change in functioning, Gandhis reportedly continued to take the major decisions.

In her memoir, Sonia Gandhi has also mentioned that she had begged Rajiv Gandhi to not become prime minister after the assassination of Indira Gandhi. The memoir will create some drama but will reveal her side of the story, Sonia had said earlier in October.

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