Mother India

With such a heading, you would expect this article to be about the woman on the right; India's third Prime Minister, daughter of the first, imposer of the Emergency and all round most recognizable woman in the country Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi. But this is not about her, it is about the woman in the centre, who was seen (at that time) as the last person to be India's most relevant political authority (arguably) on the Silver Jubilee of her mother-in-law's death.

Born in Lusiana, Italy, Sonia Maino met Rajiv Gandhi when she was studying at an English language institute in Cambridge, England. As Rajiv had no initial interest in politics and was more focused on being a pilot, both Sonia and himself where quite distant from the national political arena. Sonia was believed to have supported Rajiv's decision of not following his family's preferred profession and encouraged their private and slightly reclusive family life.

After the death of Rajiv in 1991, Sonia Gandhi remained the only surviving adult of the dominant Nehru-Gandhi family (Sanjay's widow Maneka famously left the household because of differences with the mother-in-law). At the time of the 1991 elections, the Congress, perhaps simply for guidance, turned towards her and encouraged her to enter politics. A firm denial derailed these succession plans, but she was not out of the minds of many Congress politicians. To them, she remained the flag-bearer of India's First Family, one who would not disappoint them and sooner or later, rise up to lead them. They were right.

in the 1991 elections, P.V Narasimha Rao was elected as the Congress President and with his minority government, remarkably lasted in his five year tenure as the nation's Prime Minister. But it was behind the scenes, that the wheels started creaking. The rise of Sonia Gandhi as an extraconstitutional source of power had begun. The last such person to wield such a role while remaining unelected was her late brother-in-law Sanjay, who according to one historian 'would have done to the country what he did to the plane, had he lived. (For those who didnt know the exact circumstances of death, it basically means flying the stunt plane upside down without even being licensed to sit in it')

In 1996, the murmurs rose again. When election time came, cries came for the famous bahu to take her party forward. She didnt do much on the face, but her role within was widening. There was no need of asking her in any case, the Congress lost the elections to the BJP, who in turn couldnt form the government leading to the introduction of disjointed coalition politics in India. 1998 was the moment it was official. She was elected the Congress President of India - the head of Indian Politics' historically most dominant party. The preceding 4 Congress Presidents were Sitaram Kesri, Narasimha Rao, Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi. Only Kesri did not become PM.

You can go today and ask any layman, who the most powerful person in India is. Chances are, he will tell you with a knowing look that the great economist is just a puppet, and with a sly grin add a caveat that Sonia Gandhi wields the power. And this is something that is today in 2000s taken for granted. But how exactly? How did an Italian-born, naturalized Indian citizen in 1983, with no initial political interest or desire for the public spotlight, reach this stage? Was it a change in mindset for her? Was it a desire to cleanse the system which dirtied the initially squeaky clean Prime Minister, her husband? Was it a desire to mould Rahul and Priyanka into future leaders by walking with them while holding their hands? Or was she a launched product of senior leaders, reminiscent of how 'the Syndicate' introduced Indira Gandhi has their 'goongi gudiya'. As always, we can never see the ingredients, but only the final result.

In 2004, when the UPA clinched a surprise win over the 'India Shining' BJP, the real shock was when she abdicated the Top Job to the noted economist Dr. Manmohan Singh. If making headlines was her intention, she got what she wanted. Various theories followed this decision that left even 'India Scholars' wide-eyed. The Opposition claimed it was a political stunt, and in hindsight, you would have to agree that it was a very smart one too. While cries were there that a person of non-Indian origin could not formally lead the country, there was no problems according to Constitutional Law. The media coverage of the abdication conference is still fresh in minds and it became a topic discussed by everyone: Why did she turn it down? While people disagreed in these reasons, they unanimously agreed that 10 Janpath had much more power than 7 Race Course Road, a daring suggestion, but one that can be made remarkably calmly today.

Even now. she remains the Congress President and the UPA Chairperson. Political Analysts speculate that if the UPA wins 2009, the Prime Ministerial portfolio will be decided as per her wishes - the Doctor, her son, herself or perhaps even another new surprise. The rise of her political significance is meteoric, and apart from a few, no one is aware of the inside story.

Why and how did the nation's bahu go on and take the cognomen of 'Mother India' from the earlier Mrs. Gandhi? We will never know, but can only watch which direction this dynasty takes.