Pranab Mukherjee, as both Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh have learnt to their profit, is a walking encyclopaedia on all matters pertaining to government and Party. A quintessential Congressman of the old school, Mukherjee’s diminutive frame conceals a capacious mind — marked not just by an amazing memory of the most obscure details of the Grand Old Party’s hoary history but equally by an understanding of the intricacies of policy-making.

Handpicked by Indira Gandhi, Mukherjee began his ministerial innings as deputy minister, Industrial Development back in February 1973 and rose to become the official Number Two in her last cabinet — a post he held till the day she was assassinated that October morning 22 years ago.

October 31, 1984 did not just brutally end his beloved leader’s life. It also, more by default than design, cast a long shadow over his own political career that he is still struggling to come out from. Rajiv Gandhi was in West Bengal when his mother was fatally shot and Pranab Mukherjee accompanied him on the flight to Delhi. He was very clear that Rajiv must take over immediately. Not exactly steeped in history or politics, Rajiv wanted to know what happened after his grandfather died in office. Mukherjee told him that Gulzari Lal Nanda, the seniormost person in the cabinet, filled in as acting prime minister till Lal Bahadur Shastri was appointed the PM. And what happened when Shastri died? Ditto, said Mukherjee. Gulzari Lal Nanda was acting PM till Mrs Gandhi was sworn in.

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