Congress workers rejoice8230;

NEW DELHI, Dec 30: Barely a day after Sonia Gandhi's decision to enter active politics, power equations have begun changing in the Congress ...

NEW DELHI, Dec 30: Barely a day after Sonia Gandhi8217;s decision to enter active politics, power equations have begun changing in the Congress with the focus shifting from Sitaram Kesri to 10, Janpath. A section of the party is keen that Sonia be anointed party president before her campaign begins thus making her all powerful formally.

Kesri himself, now out of limelight in the Congress, met Sonia today at her residence for more than an hour to thank her for her decision and discuss details of her campaign programme. With Kesri were CWC member Madhav Rao Scindia and Bombay Regional Congress Committee BRCC chief Murli Deora.

And though no formal schedule has been prepared for Sonia8217;s campaign yet, suggestions have been pouring in. In a meeting of the Congress central coordination committee today, there was a practical rush to host Sonia8217;s first rally with both the northern and southern units vying for the 8220;privilege8221; of kicking off her campaign. Among the ideas floated were that she start either from Sriperumbudur, where Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in 1991, or Amethi, Rajiv8217;s constituency. It was also suggested that Delhi be the place where she kicks off her campaign.

Clearly, the command of the Congress has virtually shifted to 10, Janpath.

One important indicator of this was a statement issued by former Premier P V Narasimha Rao praising Sonia, amounting to a somersault of sorts. Rao has been known to be anti-Sonia during his tenure as Congress chief and Prime Minister. But his statement today shows how things have changed.

quot;Smt Sonia Gandhi8217;s decision campaign for the congress in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections is very welcome and has come not a day too soon. I have nodoubt that she will enthuse the people and party workers alike and contributein achieving victory to the Congressat the hustings. I am confident that in this new context the tendency to leave the party will be arrested and the Indian National Congress will remain as strong as ever,quot; Rao said.

Through the day, Congress workers sang, danced, carried small processions around 10, Janpath, burst crackers and were in high spirits in contrast to the downbeat mood of the past few months. But the encomiums were reserved for Sonia and not Kesri.

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Indeed, even a cursory glance at the Congress structure shows that Kesri is heavily outnumbered. In the CWC, the highest decision making body in the party, Ahmed Patel, Jitendra Prasada, Scindia, Tariq Anwar, RK Dhawan, Arjun Singh, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy, A K Antony, Manmohan Singh, JB Patnaik, Oscar Fernandes, Meira Kumar, Lalthanhawla and Madhav Sinh Solanki are all pro-Sonia. The ones who will be in relative trouble are Kesri, Pranab Mukherjee and Sharad Pawar, none of who were really close to 10, Janpath.

Also, people like Arjun Singh, ML Fotedar, Sheila Dixit, Deora, Lalit Suri and others are likely to be more and more at the centre of things. It is this section which is keen to finalise Sonia8217;s position as party head before the election.

One related move doing the rounds is the possible elevation of Manmohan Singh as potential Prime Ministerial candidate should the Congress be in a position to head the next government.

Apparently, Kesri has been telling his senior colleagues that Manmohan is the right choice. Plus, he enjoys the confidence of 10, Janpath, as indicated by his being a board member of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, a barometer of what Sonia thinsk of a Congress leader.