It's a canard APJ Abdul Kalam had reservations on Sonia Gandhi as PM: Manmohan Singh

NEW DELHI: Former PM Manmohan Singh on Wednesday placed on record his gratitude for the support that APJ Abul Kalam had extended him when he was pursuing the Indo-US civil nuclear deal.

Singh also dismissed as “a complete canard” the persistent claims by certain sections that Kalam, as President, was reluctant to appoint Sonia Gandhi as prime minister when UPA staked claim to form government in 2004. During an interview to the India Today TV, Singh said, “This talk had started, mostly among the anti-Congress circles, after Sonia turned down the Prime Ministership and proposed Singh’s as the head of the UPA regime.

Singh also recalled “great trust and friendship” between him and Dr Kalam and called Dr Kalam “his friend, philosopher and guide”.

Placing on record the support Kalam had extended to him, Singh said as PM, he had had always kept President Kalam informed about the progress on the nuclear-deal front.

Singh also said Kalam had played a crucial role in convincing Mulyam Singh about the merit of the nuclear deal with the US.