The week after she resigned as Member of Parliament and chairperson of National Advisory Council, Sonia Gandhi was in Rae Bareli. And she charmed the town. A by-election has to be held within 90 days and the Congress president is expected to win it hands-down.
Meanwhile, the office of profit issue, which was sparked off by Jaya Bachchan's disqualification and led to Gandhi's resignation, has set political circles in quite a tizzy. Senior Congress leaders and ministers in the United Progressive Alliance government have been working hard to reaching a consensus to define an office of profit. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also indicated that the government would consult with the Opposition on the matter. It has been decided that Parliament will reconvene on May 10 and a bill will probably be introduced regarding the definition of an office of profit.
Nonetheless, with Assembly polls around the corner in five states, this has become a major campaign trail issue.
Image: Sonia Gandhi in Rae Bareli
Photograph: STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images
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