Book Review: The Accidental Prime Minister by Sanjaya Baru

The making and unmaking of Manmohan Singh, (Prime Minister of India from May 2004 to May 2014) is Sanjaya Baru's account in: THE ACCIDENTAL PRIME MINISTER. It is an account packed with culmination of negotiations, scams, media reaction, public resentment and political gossip.

In 2004, the author left a successful career as chief editor of the Financial Express to join Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as high media adviser in UPA-1. Sanjaya Baru shares with the reader his experience of four years during the Manmohan Singh era.

It is not a crushing secret that Manmohan Singh came under strong criticism in his second term of office. He, himself was honest, but he chose to close his eyes to see corruption of his ministerial colleagues.

The book is eye-opening from many angles. While reaffirming the human experience we all go through, Sanjaya Baru's style is both frank and interestingly balanced. He was the Prime Ministers trusted aide, trying his best to be "eyes and ears" of Manmohan Singh. The author saw debacles of scandals unfolding, and he was naturally concerned for Dr. Singh's reputation. The controversy over the telecom licenses issue, commonly called 2G Scam, and the public outcry of the government's handling of the 2010 Common Wealth Games turned into battle grounds for the Prime Minister.

The author has some conclusions to wrap the book. He ways: When the horse you are riding becomes a tiger it is difficult to dismount. That was the state of the Prime Minister in the end… when the social media was flooded with sarcasm and ridicule only wounded him more.

THE ACCIDENTAL PRIME MINISTER communicates… it is realistically rendered.

Geeta Chhabra

 


Geeta Chhabra Comment Form
Form a link. Comment inside the box below. Your views will be published in a coming edition.
Name:
 
Email:  
Comments: