NEW DELHI: She is still recuperating from her surgery two months ago, but Congress president Sonia Gandhi has plunged herself into tackling the various crises, including infighting, facing a floundering government and trying to revitalise the party for the electoral challenges ahead.
She has also asked her close aides to keep her abreast of all the court developments relating to the 2G spectrum and other scandals.
“The few weeks after the Dussehra holidays will be crucial as the Supreme Court and other courts hear cases against Home Minister P. Chidambaram and other United Progressive Alliance (UPA) leaders. Soniaji appears to have readied alternate plans in case of adverse verdicts triggering a political crisis,” a senior leader told IANS, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“The leadership is well cautioned after the recent political upheavals caused by the court verdicts and probes by investigative agencies; like the resignations of ministers A. Raja and Dayanidhi Maran or the arrest of Suresh Kalmadi (Commonwealth Games organiser), Amar Singh (former Samajwadi party MP) and others,” he added.
According to another Congress leader who had a meeting with Gandhi last week, there is a new determination in Gandhi.”She is still composed and calm but appears to be more determined and decisive after the illness,” he told IANS. “It was reflected in her firm moves to facilitate a patch-up between (Pranab) Mukherjee and Chidambaram too.”A note related to the 2G spectrum allotment in 2008, prepared by the finance ministry headed by Pranab Mukherjee against then finance minister Chidambaram surfaced recently, causing a political storm amidst reports that there was infighting between the two ministers.(IANS)