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N EWSVI

GANDHI GANDHIV/s

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Avideo still thatallegedlyshowsactressRanjithaandSwamiNityanandaindulging in actsofintimacy.

IND IA

IRA

SONIndiraandSonia,twocogsfromadynasticwheelbutseemingly

verydifferent.

WhatsetsthenewMrsGapart?

Idontthinkanyone

wassmarterthan

Indira...butSoniahas

turnedoutsmarter

thanpeopleexpected

hertobe.

SiddharthaShankar

Ray,FormerWest

BengalCM

Soniaisahesitant

speaker.Shewants

thepoliciestospeak

forherand

legitimiseher

leadership.

ZoyaHasanPolitical

scientist

InSonia,Iseethe

qualitiesanIndian

leadershouldhave.

Sheis

accommodatingand

believesin

consultation.

AshisNandy

Sociologist

Shesshapingher

legacyinadifferent

style.Sanjaywasa

nightmare...Rahulis

beingpromotedmore

gracefully.

DipankarGupta

Sociologist

WhenahesitantSoniaGandhitookherfirstearlystepsinIndianpolitics,shemadeitapointtodresslikeherformidablemother-in-law,whosebullet-riddledbodyshehadcradledonthatterribledayin1984.IndiraGandhiisembeddedinourhistoryandallourcollectivememoriesastheenigmatic

leaderwhotransformedthenationandthenatureofourpolitics.Shealsoleftuswiththecontemporaryworldsmostdurablepoliticaldynasty.

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Twenty-sixyearsafterIndirasassassinationand19yearsaftershelosthusbandRajiv,Soniaisbeginningtocreateherownlegacy.HerundilutedsupportfortheWomens

ReservationBillthatpasseditsfirsthurdleintheRajyaSabhalastweekistestimonytothat. ThereislittledoubtthatthereluctantmalepoliticalclasswithintheCongresswouldhavefoundsomepretexttotorpedothebillifSoniahadnotbeensofirm.Ina TVinterviewlater,Soniashowedalittlegentlehumour:WhensomepartyMPscametocongratulatemeandsaidtheywerehappy,Iasked,sachmuch(really)!CongressmanandauthorManiShankar Aiyarsaysthepassageofthewomensbillmarks

themomentwhenSoniacameintoherown.Onamatterofprinciple,SoniaGandhiriskedthefutureofhergovernment. Thatsaremarkablequality...itsetsaparttheleaderfromthepolitician, hesays. Accordingto

Aiyar,Indirahadthatmomentwhenshesetouttoabolishprivypurses,RajivdiditwiththepanchayatirajlegislationandnowSoniahasdoneso,inthefaceofsomewell-entrenchedmaleopposition.True,leadershipisatestofnerves.SoniastilldresseslikeIndirainthoseeleganthandloom

sareeswithhigh-backedblouses.Butshesaverydifferentsortofpersonality.Indirawillalwaysfascinateastheruthlessleaderwhofought,wasattacked,andwhofoughtbackevenmorefiercely.Shetookonpowerfulmenwithinherownparty,themaharajasandmaharanisintheirlittlefiefdoms,theOppositionthatshecallouslythrewintojailduringtheEmergency.Indirafoughttoothandnailtokeepherprimeministership.Soniasimplysacrificedhighofficetoreachnewheights.

IndirabiographerInderMalhotra(IndiraGandhi: A PersonalandPoliticalHistory)recallsaconversationwhensheadmittedtohavingoverdonethingsinthecourseoftheEmergency. AsMalhotraputsit, Shesaidshewasconsciousthatshemaydestroyherfathersgreatlegacyandthatiswhysherestoreddemocracy. ThatwasIndiratheleaderbutalsoadaughter,JawaharlalNehrusdaughter. TherewasalsoIndirathelonelyautocrat.Herecountsanotherinstancewhenshetoldaleadingjournalistwhoasked

heraboutthestateoftheparty: Whereistheparty?Iamtheparty. Shewallowedinthecultofpersonalityandencouragedsloganslike

Soniahasadroitlyfoundapositioninpower

bystayingoutofpower,somethingIndiracould

neverhavecontemplated.

IndiraisIndia/IndiaisIndira

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SoniaiscertainlynotIndira.Sociologist AshisNandybelievesthatfuturegenerationswilljudgeSoniamuchmorekindly.Sheisstillbuildingherlegacybutsheshowstherightinstinctsasahumanbeingandapolitician,hesays. ThereisafascinationwithIndirabecauseofherstrengthinthefaceofgreatodds.ButinSoniaIseethequalitiesthatanIndianleadershouldhave.Sheisaccommodatingandbelievesinconsultation. TheotherIndianleaderwhohadthatqualitywas AtalBehariVajpayee.Indiracertainlylackedtheabilitytoconsultandaccommodate, hesays

BackstoryIndian-born.Very

keentojoinpolitics.BecametheI&BministerinLalBahadur

Shastri'scabinetin1964.Twoyearslaterbecameprimeminister.

StyleoffunctioningAutocratic,inflexible.Dependedonahandfulofadvisorsreferredtoasthekitchencabinet.DidnotstriveforaconsensuswithinherpartyortheOpposition.Attractedalotofriff-raff.Wasvindictive,aggressiveandbrazen.

BackstoryForeign-born.Averyreluctantentrantintopolitics.Stayedawayfrompoliticsforseven

yearsafterherhusbandRajivGandhi'sassassinationin1991.

Styleoffunctioning

Believesinevolvingaconsensuswithinthe

CongressandOpposition.Isopentocriticism.Involvesnon-politiciansinframing

policydecisions.Herwestern sensibilitieskeeps

partyriff-raffatadistance.Credoissocialempowerment.

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BestRememberedForBanknationalisation

Withdrawalofprivypursesof

maharajas

Indo-SovietTreatyofPeace,

UnderstandingandCooperation

WinningtheBangladeshwarand

thehumanetreatmentof

refugeesfromacrosstheborder

TheShimlaAgreementThe

Pokhran-Inucleartest

Failures

Emergencyandcensorship

PromotingsonSanjayGandhi

CausingasplitintheCongress

in1969

TheGaribiHataocampaign

(criticssayitwasmerelip

service)

Heldguiltyofelectoral

malpractice

Usingfundamentalistslike

Bhindranwaletounderminethe

AkaliDal

OperationBluestar

Also,somewouldarguethatIndiradidnothavetheinstinctsofademocratthatnotjustcallsforconsensusbutpower-sharing.Instead,shenurturedacoteriewhosememberswieldedexcessivepower.AnOppositionpoliticianwhohassurvivedthereignsofboththeGandhiwomensaysthatpossiblybecauseofherwesternsensibilities,Soniakeepsadistancefromcorruptorcontroversialfigures

ItcertainlygoestohercreditthatshedoesnothavehenchmenlikeIndiradid.Herambitionsappeartobeforherchildren.IndiratoohadgreatambitionsforsonSanjayGandhibuthewasusedaschiefhenchmantoperpetuateherreign.HisexcessesduringtheEmergencyareamatterofpublicrecord.Sonia,ontheotherhand,doesnotappeartoseekpowerforherselfbutplaystheroleofkeeperoftheNehru-Gandhitorchthatwillbepassedontoher

son.ShealsocutsamorematernalfigurethanIndiraeverdid.Dynasticpoliticshassomethinginherentlyundemocraticbuiltintoit. YetthereisnoindecencythatRahulorPriyankahaveeverperpetuatedonthenationinthemanneroftheirinfamousuncle. Theycomethroughasratherearnestyoungpeople.

TheirvisionofIndiaisperhapsshapedbytheirmotherssupportforsocialsectorlegislations.TheNehru-Gandhioffspringmaybecritiquedforbeingdynastsbuttheyareperhapssetinthemouldofbenignmonarchswhowanttousetheirreignforwhattheythinkisthegoodofthepeople.PoliticalscientistZoyaHasanbelievesthatSoniasideologycanbedescribedasconsistingofastrongcommitmenttonon-sectarianpolitics

thatrisesabovecaste,religion,community.HerpoliticalvisionisdefinedbypoliciesliketheRTI,NREGA andnowwomensreservation.SaysHasan: Indianpoliticalleadersaredefinedbytheirrhetoricandoratory.Soniaisahesitantspeaker.Ibelieveshewantsthepoliciestospeak

forherandlegitimiseherleadership. AsforthecomparisonwithIndira,Hasanwillonlysaythatthepoliticalcontextisalotdifferentandpoliticsismorecompetitivetoday.

So,isSoniaperhapssmarterthanIndira?InderMalhotrasaysshehasmanyadmirablequalitiesbutIdontthinksheissmarter,althoughshehascertainlyturnedoutsmarterthanpeopleexpected

hertobe.SiddharthaShankarRay,whowasoneoftheCongressmenclosesttoIndira,jokes: Youmustneveraskifamother-in-lawisbetterthanherdaughter-in-law.Itonlycreatestrouble. Butonamoreseriousnote,hesays: IdontthinkanypoliticianIhaveknownhasmadesmartermovesthanIndira.IthinkSoniahaslearntfromIndirasexperiences...andanypoliticianwhocanruntheCongressforsomanyyearswithoutamajor

disasteriscertainlynotafool.

Atonelevel,thecomparisonisunfairasIndirawasprimeministerforover15yearsandSoniahas

consistentlyrefusedoffice.Butforthepastsixyears,shehasleftherimprintonIndia.Right-wingcommentatorSwapanDasguptaarticulateshisviewsintermoftheirpoliciesandpersonalities:Indirawasruthless.Soniaisajholawali! Heelaboratestheclassicright-wingcritiqueofboth:Indirawasguidedbyaverynarrow,self-serving,doctrinaireapproachthatledtonationalisationofbanks,abolitionofprivypurses,overbureaucratisationandanexaggeratedtilttotheSovietUnion.Soniasprimarymotivationsaregoody-goody,NGO-type.PerhapsSoniasgreatachievementisthatshehasovercometheItalian-

originhandicapandhasnowemergedasadecisiveleader.IndirawasbornintoagreatpoliticalfamilyandlearntatthefeetofJawaharlalNehru;SoniawasbornindistantItalyandhusbandRajivwasapilotwhowascompelledbycircumstancestoevolveintoapolitician.

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KeyAchievementsSteppinginandrevivingthe

Congressafterithitalowin

thepost-NarasimhaRao-

SitaramKesriperiod

LeadingtheCongressbackto

powerin2004and2009

Listeningtoher"innervoice"in

decliningtheprime

ministership,trustingan

outsiderwithit

Shapingalegislationlike

NREGAtocombatruralpoverty,

RTIfortransparency,Rightto

EducationAct

PushingtheWomen's

ReservationBillintheRS

Hasneverbeenpersonally

chargedwithcorruption

althoughBoforsand

Quattrocchicontinuetohaunt

her

Failures

Essentially,abelieverinthe

dynasticlegacy

Notapowerfulorator,

particularlyinHindi

Oftenseenasallowingparty

tobeatoddswithPM

Notinclinedtoplayanactive

roleinforeignpolicyand

economicissues

In1998,shewentto

RashtrapatiBhavan

erroneouslyclaimingshe

hadthenumberstoforma

government.

IndirareignedatatimewhentheCongresswasthepre-eminentpartyofthenationandherearlybattleswereaboutgainingcontroloftheparty.SoniaovercamethetragediesoftwobrutalassassinationstoleadtheCongressthatwasthenindeclineandbeingchallengedbytheforcesofbothMandalandmandir.

IndiramayhavefoughtmanygreatbattlesbutSoniahashadtosurmountmanymorehurdles.Shehasadroitlyfoundapositioninpowerbybeingoutofpower,somethingthatIndiracouldneverhavecontemplated.SayssociologistDipankarGupta: SoniahaskepttheenginecoolwhereasitwasalwaysoverheatedduringMrsGandhistime.CertainlyinthemannerinwhichsheshapedIndiandemocracyIndirahashadagreaterimpact,bothnegativeandpositive.ButSoniaisnowshapingherlegacyinaverydifferentstyle.SanjayGandhiwasanightmareforthepeople.Rahul,incontrast,isbeing

promotedinamoregracefulmanner. Theseare

criticaldifferences.

Indirawascharismatic,brilliant,ruthless.Soniaissofter,gentler,kinder.ShemayneverbethefascinatingleaderthatIndirawaswithallhertriumphsandlosses,victoriesanddefeats.IndiraperhapshadhergreatestmomentafterwinningtheBangladeshwarwhenshewashailedasGoddessDurgabynoneotherpoliticalopponentslikeVajpayee.

Soniaalsoreignsinadifferenttimeandage. Thegreatestdramaassociatedwithherinvolvedherrenunciationofpoliticalofficein2004.Womensreservationisthebiggambleonwhichshehasstakedhergovernmentssurvivalandherownreputation.Ifitpassesasshehaspromiseditwill,itstandstotransformIndiandemocracymuchinthemannerhermother-in-lawdidinsomanyways.ItisnowuptoSoniatonavigatethelegislationthroughtheLokSabha.Shehas

certainlyevolvedintotheladywithaquietdetermination.

INDIANTOBHARATIYAExactly12yearsago,SoniaGandhitookoverthereinsofaparty

goingthroughtheworstcrisisinitslonghistory.Alothas

changedsincethen,bothfortheCongressanditschief

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CongressheadquartersonSundayworeadesertedlook.Withgovernmentestablishmentsclosedandalmostalloffice-bearerseitherenjoyingtheweekendoroutinthe"field",thecrowdofpartyworkersandfavourseekerswhothrong24, AkbarRoadweremissing.ForCongressmembers,though,itwasnoordinaryday.

For,itwasexactly12yearsagothatSoniaGandhiwasappointedpartychief,inadevelopmentthatstemmedCongress'sdownwardslide,helpeditcapturetheDilliDurbarafternearly

adecadelongpowerdroughtandputthepartyontheroadtorecapturingthepre-eminenceitappearedtohavelosttochallengers.

Twelveyears,toparaphraseformerBritishPrimeMinisterHaroldMacmillan,maybealongtimeinpolitics,butfewwouldhaveimaginedtheturnaroundintheparty'sfortunesSoniahasscriptedsincethedaywhenmembersofCongressWorkingCommittee,deeplyworriedabouttheexistentialcrisisfacingtheparty,turnedagainsttheincumbentSitaramKesritohandovertheorganisationalreinstoher.

Congress,whichhadlostthepolepositiontoaresurgentBJP in1996,wasadriftandthreatenedtosinkfurther. ThepolarisationbroughtaboutbyMandal-Mandirpoliticssawthepartylosingthe

crucialconstituenciesofMuslims,OBCsanddalitsinnorthIndiaaswellashugepoliticalspacesacrossstatestorivals.

Its'catch-all'appealwasbluntedwiththemiddleclass,putoffbythestinkofcorruptionandcompromises,embracingBJP'sofferofacleanalternativeandtheboldespousalofeconomicreformsmakingthepoorandvulnerabledoubttheparty'sintent. ThetaskthatfacedSoniaasshesetouttopullorganisationalchestnutsoutofthefirewastougherthanthechallengeIndiraGandhihadencounteredaftertheparty'sfirst-everdefeatin1977. A processionofCongressleadersinventedvariousexcusestojointheBJP.DoubtsassailingthefaithfuldidnotdisappearevenwhenSoniaarrived,withmanysuspectingthat

her"foreignorigin"wouldhandicapherterribly.Theresultsofthe1999pollswhenCongress'stallydippedtojust114whileBJP openedupahugegapatthetoponlyreinforcedthein-housesceptics.

Injustoveradecade,thefortuneshavebeenreversedwithCongressregainingthenumberoneslotandappearingwellonitswaytoestablishtheascendancyithastraditionallyenjoyed. The2004pollssawthepartyscoreavictory"onpoints",bybeingpragmaticincourtingalliesandbycapitalisingonBJP'spre-pollhubris.

Thechancethusgainedwas,however,usedbySoniatore-establishthe'aamaadmi'credentialslostinthewakeofreformsandtoreachouttotheleft-of-centrepartofcivilsocietywhichwasnever

enamouredofCongress.Sonia'spainstakingworkhashelpedCongress

regaintheaffectionsofMuslimsandlureuppercastesinthenorthbacktothefold,withtheresultsofLokSabhapollsfromUP suggestingthatitmaybeabletore-stitchthesocialcoalitionthathelpeditdominatethepoliticallandscape.

Butasitpractisesoldstylepopulismrepresentedbydebt-waiversandguaranteedjobschemeforruralareas,thepartyhasalsobeenabletoidentifyitself,forthefirsttimesincetheeuphoriageneratedbynationalisationofbanksunderIndira,withtheaspirationsofthegrowingcategoryofurbanIndianyouth. Thedeterminedpushforwomen'squotabillon Tuesday,despitereservationsamonggovernmentleaders,waspart

oftheenterprisewhichhasbeenhelpedconsiderablybythearrivalofRahulGandhi.Resistancefromthe Yadavtroikaappearsto

haveforcedthegovernmenttoputthewomen'sbillonholdbutthetacticalretreatcannotcamouflagetheintenttopressaheadwitheffortstoformapurelyCongressgovernmentafterthenextLSelections.