Sonia Gandhi's first choice as leader of the Congress after Rajiv Gandhi's death in 1991 was Shankar Dayal Sharma, then vice-president of India. Journalist Kalyani Shankar gives the background of how P V Narasimha Rao became prime minister in her just released book, Pandora's Daughters. According to Shankar, Natwar Singh suggested to Sonia that she consult P N Haksar, once Indira Gandhi's principal secretary, before making the choice. Haksar proposed that freedom fighter Aruna Asaf Ali should try and convince Sharma to take the prime minister's post. Natwar went to meet Sharma together with Ali, but the vice-president immediately excused himself saying that considering his age and ill-health, he would not be able to do the job. It was only after this that the name of Rao, who was all set to go back to Hyderabad as he was not a member of either House of Parliament, came up for discussion.
- Coomi Kapoor : Sun Sep 22 2013. Indian Express
- Coomi Kapoor : Sun Sep 22 2013. Indian Express
