What happened in Kalam-Sonia meet? Read his latest book

Former President APJ Abdul Kalam has come out with a forthright account of his years in Rashtrapati Bhavan in which he discloses "behind-the-scenes" details of his meetings with Sonia Gandhi after the 2004 Lok Sabha elections and with Manmohan Singh after the Supreme Court verdict on the dissolution of Bihar assembly.

Turning Points, billed as a sequel to his bestselling autobiography Wings of Fire, brings together details from his career and presidency that are not generally known as he speaks out for the first time on certain points of the controversies, the book's publishers HarperCollins India said.

"It is for the first time that Kalam discloses behind-the-scene stories following his meeting with Sonia Gandhi after the 2004 elections, his strong views on the Office of Profit bill, his meeting with Manmohan Singh after the Supreme Court verdict on the dissolution of the Bihar assembly and much more," an official of the publishing house told PTI.

The book, to be released later this month, also has insights into Kalam's speeches and his views on rejuvenating Parliament to make it a more dynamic and vibrant body.

'... Indeed, the phone was ringing when I entered the room. When I answered, a voice at the other end said 'The prime minister wants to talk with you...' Some months earlier, I had left my post as principal scientific adviser to the Government of India, a cabinet-level post, to return to teaching... Now, as I spoke to the PM, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, my life was set for an unexpected change,' Kalam writes in Turning Points.