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Congressmen keen on Sonia taking over

Amberish K Diwanji in New Delhi

With the Congress veering around to the view that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led alliance government is likely to fall and it will form the next government, the focus is on who will become prime minister. And for a majority of party workers across the board and for quite a few reasons, there is only one choice: Sonia Gandhi.

The Congress chief, however, has maintained her sphinx-like silence and of course, meeting the press is completely out of the question. But Congress sources and political observers are increasingly veering around to the view that Gandhi may not be averse to heading the government herself, even though the government will be a motley bunch and unlikely to last beyond this year. Some feel it won't even last beyond the present Budget session of Parliament.

The Congress, officially, is insisting that it will make its decision known once the government falls. Yet, the party appears convinced that rather than lend outside support, it should head the government. And, sources say, Gandhi is slowly coming around to the view that she may have to don the mantle to help the Congress. There are many reasons being proffered as to why the Congress must take over and Gandhi must become prime minister.

First, Congress workers will not accept anyone else, especially in view of elections being just a few months away. "When she took charge of the electoral campaign last year, the workers were all charged up. Hence, for the workers she was the only one who commands respect all across India. With her as PM, they will be enthused to give off their best in the elections. Most of the other leaders are regional satraps," said the source.

Second, there are few people that Gandhi trusts completely. As an observer pointed out, when Sonia Gandhi started out, her role model was her husband Rajiv Gandhi, but over the past year, she has taken inspiration from for later mother-in-law, Indira Gandhi. And like the latter, most of the old advisors are being eased out to make way for fresh faces, all of whom are being kept at arm's length. "Even if Sonia declines, who'll don the mantle? She does not trust most of the senior leaders, and making a young person prime minister will create resentment within the party," the source added.

There is also the added fear that anyone else becoming prime minister will become a power centre and she may herself end up being marginalised. Moreover, as the source pointed out, "While earlier Gandhi was always dependent on the advice of allies, now she has grown in confidence and takes decisions on her own. There has been a sea-change over the past one year, something that people in touch with her have realised."

It was earlier believed that some of the allies may not support Gandhi as prime minister, but that may no longer be true. The communists are so keen to oust the BJP that they are willing to settle for Gandhi as PM. And while Rashtriya Loktantrik Morcha leader Mulayam Singh Yadav may not be entire happy at this, fearing that she will cost him Uttar Pradesh, his colleague Laloo Yadav may not press the issue. "Laloo is in debt to Gandhi for saving his wife's government in Bihar. He will never oppose her and will also persuade Mulayam to do likewise," said the source.

Incidentally, Uttar Pradesh is one reason why Gandhi is being persuaded to become prime minister. Rakesh Jaiswal, a Congress worker from Kanpur claimed that Uttar Pradesh chief Salman Khursheed, who was handpicked by Gandhi to head the state unit, has not had much success in wooing the people. "But if Madam becomes prime minister, then we can easily get votes in her name, overcoming issues of caste. No other leader has such an appeal in Uttar Pradesh," said Jaiswal.

The Congress will be helped in Bihar by Laloo Yadav, and is sure of Maharashtra, thanks to the anti-Shiv Sena-BJP sentiment. However, Maharashtra is still considered rival Sharad Pawar's borough, and Gandhi needs to do well in Uttar Pradesh which sends a whopping 85 members to the Lok Sabha if the Congress is to realise its goal of securing a majority on its own.

Perhaps even more important, the Congress realises that Sonia Gandhi has a pan-Indian appeal, which will be important in any election. It will be even more important if Prime Minister A B Vajpayee does not contest the next elections as he has already declared. "The BJP will have to pick a leader to project as prime minister, and it might take some time and cause tension within the party and among its allies. Thus, by making Gandhi the PM would give the Congress a headstart by the time the elections come," said the source.

Yet, despite such statements, there are still some who doubt whether Gandhi would want to become the prime minister right away. Instead, she might nominate someone and declare that she will be the prime minister provided the Congress gets a mandate in the next elections.

One reason the Congress is keen to form the government is to give its Lok Sabha members a better chance in the elections. "Elections are very costly and we have all blown up our money in last year's election. We need to be in power, even for a few months, to make some money. And facing the elections while in government will be an advantage," said a Congress worker.

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