The Accidental Prime Minister The Making and Unmaking of Manmohan Singh

Sanjaya Baru

Viking, 320 pages, Rs599

When Sanjaya Baru joined Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as his media adviser in 2004, Singh told him, “Sitting here, I know I will be isolated from the outside world. I want you to be my eyes and ears.” As Singh’s spin doctor and trusted aide for four years, Baru observed from up close the prime minister’s often troubled relations with his ministers, his cautious equation with Sonia Gandhi, and his handling of crises, from dealing with the Left to pushing through the Indo-American nuclear deal. This book is Baru’s account of managing public opinion for Singh, and also a riveting, behind-the-scenes look at Indian politics.