Sonia rules, UPA rules out convenor post

Unlike the NDA, in which its chairperson A.B. Vajpayee was a non-functional head with the task of dealing with meeting and cajoling allies left to Fernandes, Sonia has emerged as the point person among UPA allies.

The office of the UPA chairperson assumed greater significance after Sonia gave up the prime ministership, and she was unanimously nominated to her present post. And Sonia has emerged as the undisputed leader, as far as allies are concerned, with all discussions on coalition and political matters being held in her office.

If, in the immediate aftermath of the Lok Sabha polls, CPIM8217;s Harkishen Singh Surjeet had emerged as the point person for the allies, the privilege has now been taken over by Sonia. In fact, during the troubled days of government formation, those alliance leaders who were peeved at not getting positions they sought, went to Sonia to plead their case.

In the early days of the UPA, one of the names doing the rounds for the post of convenor was NCP chief Sharad Pawar. But Pawar was not too keen, saying it was a tough and thankless job.

However, in keeping with her aloof style, Sonia is not expected to brief the media after every crucial UPA meeting. Therefore, the task has to be given to someone she can trust, and not surprisingly, the name that emerges is that of her former political adviser, Ambika Soni. Other favourites include Jairam Ramesh and Salman Khursheed.