India, Nov. 10 -- Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi has written in her memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, that she has had "practically no real contact" with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in more than 12 years, adding that he tends to look away when they meet face-to-face.

The 544-page memoir, published by HarperCollins India, was released on Tuesday. Gandhi describes her rare interactions with Modi at semi-official gatherings, including meetings in the Speaker's chamber at the end of Parliament sessions.

"When he comes face-to-face with me, we greet each other with a formal namaste. This is different from the past, when leaders across party divides would treat one another with cordiality. He tends to look away, avoiding eye cont...