text: In 1991, following the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, Sharma was first offered the presidentship of the Congress party and the post of Prime Minister by Sonia Gandhi. He however refused citing ill health and advanced age. Thereafter, P. V. Narasimha Rao was chosen to lead the Congress party.
  President of India (1992–1997)
  In June 1992, Sharma was chosen by the Congress party as its candidate for the presidential election of 1992 to succeed R. Venkataraman. His nomination was also supported by the communist parties. The election was held on 13 July 1992 and votes counted three days later. Sharma won 675,804 votes against the 346,485 votes polled by his main opponent George Gilbert Swell, who was the nominee of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party. Two other candidates – Ram Jethmalani and Kaka Joginder Singh – won a small number of votes. Sharma was declared elected on 16 July 1992 and was sworn in as president on 25 July 1992. In his inaugural address, Sharma stated that "Freedom has little meaning without equality and equality has little meaning without social justice" and committed himself to combating terrorism, poverty, disease and communalism in India. The validity of the election was challenged unsuccessfully before the Supreme Court of India.