The launch of the third volume of former President Pranab Mukherjee’s memoirs, titled “The Coalition Years:1996-2012”, at a function here on Friday evening saw ex-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh admitting that Mukherjee had “every reason for grievance” at being ignored for prime ministership despite being “better qualified” but “he also knew that I have no choice in the matter”, which kept their relations smooth.

Singh’s candid admission in the presence of Mukherjee evoked peals of laughter among the audience which included Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the party vice president Rahul Gandhi.

“Pranab da told me that I have no choice when I was asked to lead the UPA coalition in 2004 by Sonia Gandhi”, Singh told the gathering.

Mukherjee’s book was released at Nehru Memorial Museum and Library in the presence of dignitaries and leaders including CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, and DMK leader Kanimozhi among others.

In his address, Mukherjee said, “I have tried to analyse clinically the political happenings between 1996 and 2012, but still I cannot claim to be a historian. The first two volumes of memoirs have tried to encompass 43 years of Indian politics. These memoirs trace the journey when I entered Parliament in 1969 to the time I ceased to be a parliamentarian when I was elected as the President of India in 2012.”

Recalling his long journey in public life, Mukherjee said, “When I entered Parliament, hardly anyone knew me. I only had a piece of paper which was a certificate of my election to Parliament. But the day I left Parliament, most of the MPs, the entire Cabinet and bureaucrats were there.”

His latest book presents an account of coalition governments from 1996 to 2012, touching upon coalition governments led by ex-PMs including H D Deve Gowda, I K Gujral, Atal Behari Vajpayee, and Manmohan Singh.

The first two volumes of Mukherjee’s memoirs, released earlier, are : “The Turbulent Years: 1980-1996” and “The Dramatic Decade: The Indira Gandhi Years”.

Mukherjee also announced the next volume of his memoirs, “The Rashtrapati Bhawan Years”, which will be released later.

He said the three volumes so far have steered clear of his personal life, but readers will get to read an account of his personal life and his relationship with his wife in his upcoming book.

Recounting his memory of working together with Mukherjee, Singh said, ” When I was asked by Sonia Gandhi to lead the UPA coalition in 2004, I went to Pranab da. I have always believed that in terms of knowledge and experience, Pranab da was always senior to me. I became a politician by accident. So when I asked him whether I should take up the job of the Prime Minister or not, he said I have no choice and thus I became the Prime Minister.”

In a gushing tribute to Mukherjee, widely acknowledged as a consummate politician and accomplished administrator, Singh said, “It is known to everyone that whenever the Congress party suffered a crisis, we all went to him and he always guided us out of the problems.We worked together as a cohesive force and his role in the management of national affairs is exemplary”.

Yechury and Akhilesh also spoke on the occasion, showering praises on Mukherjee and his leadership.