Sonia achieved double win in 2004, says 'biography' author

Congress president Sonia Gandhi achieved a "double win" in 2004 by choosing Manmohan Singh to be prime minister as she silenced questions about her Italian origins while having more power as party chief, says Javier Moro, author of a "dramatised biography" of her.

Spanish author Moro said that not becoming prime minister was a clever move on part of Gandhi as her Italian origins were considered "a weak point" politically.

"It was a clever move on her part. It was double win. As (Congress) president, she had more power. She was the queen," he said at a press conference here.

Moro, whose book "The Red Sari" was released Jan 15 after delay of about four years, said it was "end of an epic journey".

"This is final touch to this adventure," he said.

The book could not be published in 2010 as envisaged originally due to objections from the Congress.

Moro said he never pretended the book to be history or political work.

"This dramatised version, is interpretation of mine of life and happenings of Gandhi family," he said, adding "fascinated by story of this young women (who) inspite of herself (was) in power of a country of a billion people".

The author said he sought to show human aspect of the journey that "this young Italian girl did (which) ended in a full power situation without (her) wanting it".

Answering queries, Moro agreed that Rahul Gandhi had prevailed on his mother to not accept the post of prime minister in 2014. The view, first articulated in the book of former union minister Natwar Singh had created a furore with opposition leaders saying that Sonia Gandhi had not taken the decision because of her "inner voice" as she had then claimed.

The book, which has earlier been published in Spanish, Italian and other languages, has been published in India by Roli. Moro's book "Passion India" has been translated into 17 languages.