Sonia Gandhi and 15 successful years as Congress President

On 14 March, when Sonia Gandhi completes 15 uninterrupted years - a unique distinction - as the Congress president, she has a lot of things in her credit, from strengthening her party to giving a visionary guidance to the Congress-led coalition government at the Centre.   She took over as Congress President in 1998 at a time a demoralised and fragmented Congress party was going through a turbulent phase and ruling just four states of Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Mizoram and Nagaland. And after taking over Sonia Gandhi restored the party's central place in the country's polity in six years.

After three continuous in 1996, 1998 and 1999, Sonia Gandhi played a pivotal role in bringing the Congress party back to power in 2004 and since then the Congress has successfully led a coalition government at the Centre and is in power in 13 states.

It was because of her persistent intervention and guidance the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre framed some land mark polices like Mahatma Gandhi NREGA, the Right to Education and the Right to Information. Women empowerment has always been her focus and she was instrumental for many polices by the Centre in that direction. The mid-day meal scheme in government schools is yet another example for her pro-poor approach. Now the government is ready with Food Security Bill, another dream project of Sonia Gandhi.  She always argued for inclusive growth and insisted for special care to youth, women, minorities, tribals and other most backward classes. There is her mark in the latest Congress-led Centre government programme, the Direct cash transfer (DBT) in which the money meant for the poor will directly reach the beneficiaries bank accounts through Aadhar card.

It is a fact that the Congress was in disarray when Sonia Gandhi took over. But after that she has been able to establish unity and authority in the party and now Congress has regained its political domination across the country.

Sonia Gandhi has also been credited for taking the Congress to the left-of-the-centre position and for crafting good and effective coalitions. Her legacy is bringing Congress back to secular position with focus on welfare and distribution that helped the party to regain its dominance in the national polity in 2004.

It is a known fact that Sonia Gandhi, after the assassination of her husband and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, had turned down repeated requests by Congress workers, leaders and followers to  join the party, till 1997. And finally, on March 14, 1998, she was elected as the Congress President. The biggest challenge for her then was to rejuvenate the party that had crumbled and split over the years and it is history now that she could accomplish the task effectively and efficiently.

Though Congress faced electoral debacle initially, the party under the energetic leadership of Sonia Gandhi could come back with a bang in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. The Congress emerged as the single largest party and along with Left, and other like-minded parties formed the UPA government. Unperturbed by the foreign origin issue raked by her opponents, Sonia Gandhi had succeeded in demolishing BJP led NDA's "India Shining" campaigns with the "aam aadmi" slogan of the Congress.

The important milestone in her political career is her refusing the PM post. She stunned the entire world by declining to take up the top post. "Power in itself has never attracted me, nor has position been my goal," she had then said. The renunciation of power -- a move many described as one of her biggest political masterstrokes-- solidified Sonia Gandhi's position. Under her leadership, the UPA retained power in 2009 general elections with the Congress winning 206 seats, the highest by any party since 1991.

For Sonia Gandhi, the biggest challenge now, is to ensure Congress' victory in the coming assembly and Lok Sabha elections, which comes at a time when the party has been at the receiving end of several controversies. But, Congress is hopeful that with her visionary leadership and under newly appointed young Congress President Rahul Gandhi, the party will retain the power in the next general elections also.

Sonia Gandhi writes to Anna: Lokpal Bill will be passed in Budget Session

Congress President and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Monday wrote a letter to anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare with assurance that the Lokpal Bill will be passed in the upcoming Budget Session. The Lokpal Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha in December 2011, but could not be put to vote in the Rajya Sabha due to shortage of time. Since then the government has not brought the Lokpal Bill to Parliament.

Sonia's assurance came two days before Hazare is set to begin his nationwide tour for strengthening the organisation of farmers. Hazare announced on January 16 that he would begin his nationwide tour from Bihar on January 30.

He said that following failure of farmers' organisations to unite, it has led to neglect of agriculture sector by the rulers. "Keeping in mind the need to strengthen farmers' organisations, I decided to start nationwide tour for one and half years and sit for satyagraha before Lok Sabha polls at Ramleela Maidan, New Delhi," he said.

Addressing the gathering after receiving the prestigious "Basava Krushi" (agricultural award named after 12th century social reformer Basaveshwara), instituted by 'Kudalasangama Lingayat Panchamasali Mahapeeth' in Bagalkot, Anna declared: "I will tour in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Panjab and Karnataka and start agitation by organizing farmers community".

Sonia Gandhi at AICC session: Safety is a fundamental right of every woman

While speaking on the last day of the three-day AICC session named chintan shivir, on Sunday, Congress President Sonia Gandhi addressed the issue of women safety in India and said that Delhi gang-rape victim symbol of women who suffer from similar fates. “Her death will not go in vein” she assured.

Speaking about the Delhi gang-rape case, Sonia Gandhi said that it had shocked the nation and that safety is a fundamental right of every woman. Criticizing certain remarks made after the Delhi gang-rape, she said "we cannot tolerate the shameful social mindsets that lead to unspeakable atrocities on women and children. In the last few weeks, some public figures have come out with truly shocking statements reflective of these completely unacceptable attitudes."

Sonia Gandhi said the UPA government has drafted laws for women empowerment like providing them protection against sexual harassment at workplace and providing them better representation in panchayats. To ensure further development for women, she vouched for one third reservation for the fairer sex in the legislative bodies.

The Congress President also clearly told partymen that they should not indulge in nepotism and should show unity to face the challenge of elections which are 15 months away. "I am sure if we make the right efforts with unity, there is no doubt in my mind why we will not get the mandate again," she said.

Sonia Gandhi made a strong pitch for electoral reforms and political funding saying people are getting disillusioned with the political process and there is a need to address the issue with sensitivity. "We have to admit that people are getting disillusioned with the political process. We have to understand what the causes of this disillusionment are and we have to do away with this with sensitivity," Sonia Gandhi said striking an introspective note.

Sonia Gandhi stresses on pragmatic approach to boost investment to tackle unemployment

Congress President Sonia Gandhi while delivering her opening address at Congress’ chintan shivir at Jaipur said that “inroads have been made into  Congress traditional support bases” and reminded Congressmen of the need to gear up for political challenges in states where they have been out of power for long. Sonia Gandhi also stressed on a “pragmatic” approach to encouraging investment for fueling economic growth and fueling employment.

Sonia Gandhi stated that UPA’s “impressive economic growth” had helped in reducing poverty. Stressing on the need for inclusive growth the Congress president urged for better implementation of poverty alleviation programmer.

 The Congress party will be deliberating on the issues – political, socio- economic, organizational and foreign policy challenges - flagged off by the Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

About foreign policy Sonia  Gandhi made it clear that “our dialogue with (our  neighbours) must be based on accepted principles of civilized behavior.”  “Performance not patronage must be the ladder to advancement in the party,” stressed the Congress President.

With the party in poll mode, on the brink of a slew of elections in as many as ten states this year itself, Sonia Gandhi repeatedly spoke of the organizational challenges confronting the party and the need to function as a “disciplined and united team.”

Sonia Gandhi: Mothers should teach their boys how to respect women in their family and in the neighbourhood

Expressing her pain and anguish over the brutal gangrape incident in Delhi, Congress president Sonia Gandhi made a strong pitch for starting women empowerment from home at Congress’ Chintan Shivir at Jaipur. "Mothers should teach their boys how to respect women in their family and in the neighbourhood. Women empowerment should start from home," she was quoted as having said.

She spent 30 minutes in the meeting of Congress group on women empowerment headed by MP Girija Vyas.

Earlier, in her opening remarks, Sonia Gandhi asked Congress workers to bring gender issues to "the heart of our political activity" saying the "very disturbing trends" against women and children should wake the party. In her speech, she described atrocities on women as a blot on conscience and a matter of shame, and stressed that gender issues should not just confined to Mahila Congress or women organisations only. "I must say with the greatest anguish and pain that discrimination against the girl child continues. Atrocities on women, both in urban and rural India, are a blot on our collective conscience and a matter of great shame," said Sonia Gandhi.

"The way we still treat widows, the prevalence of female foeticide even in economically prosperous regions, the trafficking of children and women, brazen sexual harassment - these are all very disturbing trends that should shake and awaken us," said the Congress President. "The entire party must understand them, and bring them to the heart of our political activity and change mindset," she added.

Sonia Gandhi concerned over the unemployment among the youth

Development means overall welfare of the people; that is the belief of Sonia Gandhi, the Congress President and UPA Chairperson. She wants employment for the youth, satisfactory living conditions for the farmers, welfare of the workers, benefits for the tribals and empowerment of the women.

Sonia Gandhi was very much concerned over the unemployment among the youth. NREGA was a step to address this issue. She also raised this issue in Gujarat during her campaign and questioned state government’s development claims.  Sonia Gandhi had asked, “Lots of youth are jobless in the state. The health and education facilities are insufficient here.  My sisters in this state have been facing atrocities because of the worsening law and order situation in the state. Why all these happening here? If the government had given attention to your problems, you would not have faced so many problems”.  She said so because she knew that if a government is serious towards the issues of the people, it can definitely frame policies to tackle those.

“Farmers have committed suicide. There is no water or electricity available,” she added. The Saurashtra region, which has 52 Assembly seats, saw a spate of suicides by farmers following poor monsoon this year. The Congress had announced Rs 1 lakh compensation to kin of each of the deceased farmers.