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BJP veteran Gaur lauds Sonia`s `spirit of sacrifice`
Babulal Gaur praised Sonia Gandhi for her `spirit of sacrifice` in renouncing PM`s post in 2004, in a statement that may not go down well with BJP.
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh urban development minister Babulal Gaur on Tuesday praised Congress president Sonia Gandhi for her "spirit of sacrifice" in renouncing the Prime Minister`s post in 2004, in a statement that may not go down well with his party BJP.
"At a time when people are ready to do anything for power and post, Sonia showed her spirit of sacrifice by rejecting the PM`s chair in 2004," Gaur said.
Gaur, a former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, was referring to the revelation made by former President APJ Abdul Kalam in his book `Turning Points` that he was ready to swear in Gandhi as Prime Minister in 2004 without any hesitation despite intense political opposition from some quarters on the issue of her foreign origin. Referring to the excerpts from the book, Gaur said it would have been better if Kalam had given a detailed account of the manner in which Sonia Gandhi had renounced the Prime Ministerial chair to make way for Manmohan Singh.
Ahead of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Gaur had ruffled some feathers in BJP by his remark that it would not come to power in the state and finish third or fourth in the seats tally. Kalam`s revelation had come in for scathing criticism by JD(U) president and NDA convenor Sharad Yadav who on Sunday hit out at the former President, saying his "conscience has woken up late".
"His (Kalam’s) conscience has woken up late. It is for self-aggrandisement. We used to respect him a lot but now are very saddened after such comments," Yadav said.
PTI
"At a time when people are ready to do anything for power and post, Sonia showed her spirit of sacrifice by rejecting the PM`s chair in 2004," Gaur said.
Gaur, a former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, was referring to the revelation made by former President APJ Abdul Kalam in his book `Turning Points` that he was ready to swear in Gandhi as Prime Minister in 2004 without any hesitation despite intense political opposition from some quarters on the issue of her foreign origin. Referring to the excerpts from the book, Gaur said it would have been better if Kalam had given a detailed account of the manner in which Sonia Gandhi had renounced the Prime Ministerial chair to make way for Manmohan Singh.
Ahead of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Gaur had ruffled some feathers in BJP by his remark that it would not come to power in the state and finish third or fourth in the seats tally. Kalam`s revelation had come in for scathing criticism by JD(U) president and NDA convenor Sharad Yadav who on Sunday hit out at the former President, saying his "conscience has woken up late".
"His (Kalam’s) conscience has woken up late. It is for self-aggrandisement. We used to respect him a lot but now are very saddened after such comments," Yadav said.
PTI