Sonia Gandhi reveals Bhagavad Gita guided her political entry
- Sonia Gandhi's new book 'Belonging: A Journey of Love' releases November 10, 2026.
- Gandhi admits she 'always disliked' politics following her husband's assassination.
- She studied the Bhagavad Gita with Professor Vachaspati Upadhyaya to find clarity.
- Her children, Rahul and Priyanka, fiercely opposed her entry into the political arena.
- Gandhi joined the Congress party in 1997 after deciding to follow her duty.
Sonia Gandhi is set to release her memoir, "Belonging: A Journey of Love," published by HarperCollins India on November 10, 2026. The book details her long-standing aversion to politics and the internal conflict she faced regarding whether to join the political arena following the assassination of her husband, Rajiv Gandhi.
She states she "always disliked" politics, a sentiment that complicated her decision-making process. The Bhagavad Gita was a factor that influenced her eventual decision to enter the political sphere.
Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi opposed mother's political entry
Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi "argued fiercely" against their mother entering politics because they feared losing her as they had lost their father. They were aware of her restlessness and actively argued to prevent her from joining the political field.
The siblings told their mother they did not want to lose her, citing the previous ordeals of losing their father and grandmother. Before leaving for a New Year vacation, they made her promise not to do "anything crazy".
Studying the Bhagavad Gita with Shastriji
Sonia Gandhi studied the Bhagavad Gita at home with Professor Vachaspati Upadhyaya, whom she referred to as "Shastriji". Shastriji agreed to explain the philosophical meaning of the text to her during his spare time.
Her appointment diary shows they held many sessions to read the text in December 1997.
The final reading session between Sonia Gandhi and Shastriji occurred on January 5, 1998.
Finding clarity in the message of dharma
Sonia Gandhi turned to the Bhagavad Gita to resolve her internal doubts about entering the political field. She found clarity in the text's message to perform her dharma without regard for the fruit of her action.
She ultimately decided to enter politics after concluding that she had to go where her duty called.
Congress party instability during the 1990s
The Congress party faced significant internal instability throughout the 1990s as several senior leaders departed the organization. Tiwari, and Mohsina Kidwai broke away to form a new party.
Chidambaram, and Madhavrao Scindia left to establish their own separate political parties. Mamata Banerjee also exited in 1997 to form the Trinamool Congress due to differences with the state leadership.
During this period, Sonia Gandhi said she felt a "mixture of pain and guilt" whenever she walked past pictures of Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi. She felt conflicted about the state of the Congress party at that time.
Formal entry into the Congress party
Sonia Gandhi became a primary member of the Congress party in 1997.
Her new memoir also provides an account of the period following the assassination of Indira Gandhi. It further documents the time when Rajiv Gandhi served as prime minister.
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