Sonia saying she will write a book 'surprising': Natwar Singh

Sonia Gandhi never planned to write a book and hence her recent statement in the media that she was serious about writing one is "surprising", former external affairs minister Natwar Singh said here Thursday.

Natwar Singh, whose autobiography "One Life is Not Enough" has created a flutter in the country, said his book was not individual-oriented though the media made it out to be by focusing on his revelations about the Congress president.

"It's not an individual-centred book, though the media centred it on one who now says will write a book. Normally, she doesn't respond to anything and I'm surprised she did," Singh said during the release of his memoirs at the India International Centre.

"She had said she will not write an autobiography but Priyanka can write her biography and she will join as a co-author," Natwar Singh said.

Once again reiterating that Sonia Gandhi has turned the Congress into a "rump of 44 seats", he said the grand old party was indispensable for the country and for the smooth running of democracy.

"A strong Congress party is indispensable for India. It is indispensable for democracy in India to function. The party has to do serious thinking and reflection. Otherwise democracy will be in trouble," the former Congress leader said.

He said Sonia Gandhi's public statement claiming that she wanted to write a book was reflective that she was not being advised well.

"I don't know who her advisers are. If I were to advise her, I would say don't get into all these," he said.

He, however, said that if she was determined to write a book, he was waiting to see what "truth" she would be mentioning in it.

"I was very happy and I hope she starts writing tomorrow as she is one of the world's most powerful people. She owes it to the nation. She has said this is how the truth will come out. I'm waiting to see what kind of a truth it is," he said.

He further claimed that Sonia Gandhi learnt the craft of politics from her mother-in-law, late prime minister Indira Gandhi.

"She has learnt everything from Indira Gandhi, from A to Z," he said.

On a question whether he gave any relief to Sonia Gandhi, who paid him a personal visit May 7, by not revealing all of the Gandhi family's secrets, Natwar Singh said there were certain things which he did not reveal in his book.

"I have not written many things. As it will be dishonourable for me to spill all the beans. There is at least 10 percent which I will never talk about."

The book, among other things, says Sonia Gandhi renounced the prime minister's post in 2004 not because of her inner voice as she claimed but because her son Rahul Gandhi feared that she may be assassinated.