Congress leaders rally behind Sonia Gandhi's memoirs; BJP calls it "full of contradictions"

A Journey of Love', has drawn sharp reactions along party lines, with Congress leaders hailing it as an inspiration and the BJP questioning its claims.

The political rift has widened over the release of former Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, drawing swift praise from party members and sharp scepticism from the BJP. The memoir, published by HarperCollins in India, went on sale on Tuesday. It traces Sonia Gandhi's journey from her childhood in post-war Italy and her romance with Rajiv Gandhi at Cambridge to her life in India and the personal losses that shaped her bond with the country, including the assassinations of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.

Telangana government advisor and senior Congress leader V Hanumanth Rao on Wednesday said Sonia Gandhi embraced Indian culture and traditions and followed in the footsteps of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. He said she witnessed both "highs and lows" and faced numerous challenges. "There was a time when she had the opportunity to become the Prime Minister of India. However, she declined the position. Not just once, but even on a second occasion, when leaders like Lalu Prasad Yadav and several MPs urged her to become Prime Minister, she refused. Her priority was to work for the welfare of the poor, not to hold a position of power. Despite being born in Italy, after marrying Rajiv Gandhi, she dedicated herself to working for the people of India, particularly the poor," he told ANI.

He appealed to young people, especially young women, to read and buy the book, saying it would help the younger generation learn how to serve society, work for the poor and follow the principles of the Constitution. Congress MP Digvijaya Singh said it was "a great gesture of magnanimity" on Sonia Gandhi's part to have praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the book. He made clear that the two sides remain ideologically apart. "Our ideologies have never aligned, nor will they do so in future. Our ideology is rooted in communal harmony and peace—the very foundation of Sanatan Dharma," he told reporters.

In the memoirs, she framed the long-standing political rivalry with Prime Minister Narendra Modi not as a personal feud, but as a battle over their respective visions of India. Gandhi acknowledged the NDA government's expansion of digital public infrastructure, which has connected millions of poor people previously outside the formal financial system to banks. However, she raises concerns over its implementation. “The government's own audit agency, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), has pointed to widespread misuse, corruption, and failures in implementation,” the memoir read.

However, BJP State Chief Spokesperson NV Subash flagged that there are "several contradictions" between what the book states and what happened in real life. "In the book, she has stated that she was initially not interested in her husband, Rajiv Gandhi, entering mainstream politics and eventually becoming Prime Minister. However, due to the circumstances, she herself later became the President of the Congress Party. We, the BJP, believe that there are several contradictions between what has been stated in the book and the events that unfolded in real life," he said.

Subash said Sonia Gandhi has long hoped her son, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, would become Prime Minister. "However, despite having several opportunities between 2004 and 2024, he has not become Prime Minister. The people have not given him that mandate, and even within the Congress Party, there are differences over his leadership," he said. "This book does not inspire people in the country, nor does it set any benchmark for those aspiring to enter politics," Subash added. (ANI)