'Pranab Mukherjee Shocked Me With Change At Top Suggestion': Sonia Gandhi

It is a rumour universally acknowledged that Pranab Mukherjee had prime ministerial ambitions. Sonia Gandhi just put a formal stamp on it.Citing a conversation from 2010 with the veteran leader, Gandhi says the Congress leader, who went on to become the President, shocked her with the suggestion that perhaps "it was time for a change at the top".

Sonia Gandhi made the disclosure in her memoir 'Belonging: A Journey Of Love', which hits the stands today. According to Gandhi, there was an "unspoken division of responsibility" between the prime minister and her, one that worked smoothly -- "the government under Dr Manmohan Singh, and the party under me".

While pointing out the separation of powers between the party and government, Gandhi also narrates an anecdote of how Pranab Mukherjee once hinted at his desire to be PM."A core group met weekly with the prime minister to ensure coordination between the two.