Sharmistha Mukherjee, daughter of former President Pranab Mukherjee, has defended her father's ambition to become prime minister, questioning why it should have shocked Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and saying his aspirations were backed by decades of political experience, hard work and merit.
Responding to Gandhi's account of a 2010 conversation with Pranab Mukherjee in her memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, Sharmistha said there was nothing unusual about a seasoned politician aspiring to occupy the country's highest executive office.