Sonia Gandhi

Born in Lusiana, Italy on November 9, 1946, Antonia Albina Maino Edvige-better known as Sonia Gandhi is the president of the Indian Congress Party and widow of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. It is also the president of the United Progressive Alliance coalition, which rules the country.

Its influence on Indian politics gives an idea that was named the third most powerful woman in the world by Forbes magazine in 2004 and sixth in 2007. Time magazine ranked among the 100 most influential people in 2007 and 2008.

As a matter of incompatibility had to abandon their membership in parliament, but in 2007 managed to return after winning a by-election in his district Rae Bareilly by a margin of 400,000 votes.

Origen. In 1964, Sonia went to study English language school in Bell Educational Trust in Cambridge. While in this course met Rajiv Gandhi, who studied at Trinity College, the famous university city. Sonia and Rajiv were married in 1968, after which Sonia moved to the house of his mother and then Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi.

The couple had two sons, Raul Gandhi (1970) and Priyanka Gandhi (1972). Although family influence Nehru, Sonia and Rajiv avoided all involvement in politics. Rajiv worked as an airline pilot while Sonia took care of the family. When Indira lost power in 1977 after a state of emergency, the Rajiv family went abroad for a short period. When Rajiv entered politics in 1982 after the death of his brother Sanjay in a plane crash, Sonia continued to focus on her family and avoided all contact with the public. He obtained Indian citizenship in 1983 after 14 years of marriage.

Political career. Sonia Gandhi's involvement in public life began with the murder of her mother and her husband's election as prime minister. As the spouse of the president, served as hostess at official events and accompanied him on several official visits abroad. In 1984, actively campaigned against her sister, Maneka Gandhi, who appeared in the same district as Rajiv, Amethi. At the end of five years of Rajiv Gandhi in power, the Bofors scandal broke. Octavio Quattrocchi, an Italian businessman allegedly involved had access to the official residence by virtue of his friendship with Sonia Gandhi.

President of Congress. After the death of her husband and her refusal to be party president, Congress chose to PV Narasimha Rao, who became the leader of the formation and prime minister. In subsequent years, the game deteriorated to the point that he lost the 1996 elections. Several veteran leaders like Madhavrao Scindia, Rajesh Pilot, Mamata Banerjee, GK Moopanar, P. Jayanthi Natarajan Chidambaram or rebelled against the party president at the time, Sitaram Kesri, and left the band.

In an effort to revive the party, Sonia Gandhi joined the training in the plenary session in Calcutta in 1997 and became leader in 1998. The process lasted only 62 days. He went to the election districts for two at a time (a common practice), Bellary and Amethi, and won both. In 2004 she was elected by his current district, Rae Bareilly, in the north.

Leader of the Opposition. Sonia Gandhi became the leader of the opposition in 1999. Although his party had a majority, to the president claimed he had enough support to form the government. But it fell short of the magic figure of 272, so the radical Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party Party clinched power is led by Atal Behari Vajpayee and Sonia remained as leader of the opposition. In 2003, introduced a motion of censure. Sonia holds the record for having served ten consecutive years as president of Congress.

2004 and beyond. In the 2004 general elections, Gandhi launched a nationwide campaign focused on the slogan aam aadmi (common man), which contrasted with the "India Shining" advocated by the alliance of the BJP in power. Offset the slogan of his rivals, saying "Who shines in India?". In the elections, won by a wide margin in Rae Bareilly. His victory was expected to become prime minister. The May 16 was unanimously elected to lead a coalition of 15 parties with the support of the Communists, who was named the United Progressive Alliance.

After the election result, the defeated BJP protested again for his "foreign origin" and the leader Sushma Swaraj threatened to shave and "sleep on the floor," among other things, if Gandhi became prime minister. The opposition also said he had legal reasons prevented him from becoming prime minister and even enter Parliament. They pointed in particular to paragraph 5 of the Citizenship Act of 1955, which they imply reciprocity. The cases were dismissed by the Supreme Court.

A few days after the election, Sonia Gandhi resigned from the leadership of the parliamentary group of the House and rejected the possibility of being prime minister. His followers and some Indian media compared this with the old Indian tradition of renunciation, while opponents called it a ruse. If he had accepted the position would have been the first time a Roman Catholic in office.

There were also reports suggesting that if Sonia Gandhi held the post of prime minister, in case of war or emergency the army general could use his right to refuse their orders, not being a person of Indian origin. However, under section 7 of the Indian Parliamentary Act of 1953, later became clear that these reports were false. The Indian origin would not have caused differences in the performance of their powers under the Constitution of India.

During his presidency, the Congress Party had a mixed balance of defeats and victories in various regional elections.

President of the United Progressive Alliance. On May 18, Gandhi Manmohan Singh recommended as a candidate for the post of prime minister. On March 23, 2006, Gandhi announced his resignation as deputy and as president of the National Council for the incompatibility of office. But it was re-elected in his district of Rae Bareilly in May 2006 by a margin of 400,000 votes.

Gandhi is one of the promoters of a rural employment scheme and the law of right to information. In October 2007 United Nations intervened with the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, which is followed as the Day of Nonviolence.

Reviews. The fact of not being in India has raised several dust storms. Although Sonia Gandhi is actually the fifth foreign-born person who leads the Congress party, is the first to do it after the country's independence, gained in 1947.

At the beginning of his time in power, there was also criticism from the Congress Party. In May 1999, three party leaders (Sharad Pawar, Purno A. Bleed and Tariq Anwar) opposed their right to try to be prime minister for his foreign origin. In response, offered to resign the party leadership, which caused a wave of support and the expulsion of the rebels, who formed the Nationalist Congress Party.

Hindu fundamentalist organizations have argued recently that Gandhi has links with fundamentalist Catholic organization Opus Dei and the Russian secret services. The claim lacks evidence and is not considered credible enough to be published by the media. The charges appear to be a reaction from the Hindu organizations about the possibility that they themselves were planning bombings of Malegaon.

Personal life. His son Rahul was elected to Parliament for the Amethi district in 2004. Priyanka has not been submitted, but has worked as campaign manager game. There has been considerable speculation about his future in the game. Sonia and her children have poor relationships with Maneka Gandhi, the widow of Rajiv's brother, and her son Varun, both members of the opposition BJP.

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Thematic area:

1. Sonia Gandhi calls for protecting the poor effects of financial crisis
2. The two most powerful Indian political struggle for hegemony
3. The ruling Congress Party, the great Indian family
4. Indian government is formed with new ministers sworn in without Rahul Gandhi
5. Met, between devotion and resentment, 25 years after the assassination of Indira Gandhi