Sonia Gandhi was born Sonia Maino on December 9, 1947, in the small village of Orbassano, just outside Turin, Italy. She was raised in a traditional Roman Catholic household, and her parents, Stefano and Paolo, were working class people. Stefano was a building contractor who owned his own medium-sized construction business; Paolo took care of the family's three daughters. When Sonia was eighteen years old, her father sent her to Cambridge, England, to study English. He did not know that his oldest daughter's life was about to change forever.
In 1965, just a year after arriving in England, Sonia met a young Indian student named Rajiv Gandhi (1944-1991), who was studying mechanical engineering at Cambridge University. According to Sonia Gandhi, it was love at first sight. The courtship, however, lasted three years, perhaps because Rajiv was from one of the most famous families in India, if not the world. Sonia's parents were reluctant to have her become involved in such a different culture, and Sonia herself was nervous about meeting Rajiv's famous mother, Indira Gandhi (1917-1984), who was considered to be the "first lady" of India. Indira Gandhi's father, Jawaharlal Nehru (1889-1964), became the country's first prime minister after India claimed its independence from Great Britain in 1947, and Gandhi worked closely with him until his death. In 1965 Indira Gandhi was poised to fill Nehru's shoes.
"Power in itself has never attracted me, nor has position been my goal."
Sonia's fears were quickly overcome as she and Indira became fast friends. In 1968, Sonia and Rajiv were married in a simple ceremony in New Delhi, India; Sonia wore the same pink sari her mother-in-law had worn at her own wedding many years before. A sari is a traditional dress that consists of several yards of cloth draped around the waist and shoulders. Following the wedding Sonia and Rajiv moved in with Indira Gandhi, who by this time had become prime minister. Sonia's relationship with Indira deepened, and ultimately she became the faithful and obedient daughter-in-law, in charge of running the household. This meant that although Gandhi came into the marriage a modern woman of the West, she soon traded her miniskirts for saris and steeped herself in Indian culture. She even learned to speak Hindi, the official language of India.
Her husband, the son of former prime minister Indira Gandhi and grandson of India's first premier Jawaharlal Nehru, was assassinated in 1991 by Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels.
Became president of 119-year-old Congress party in 1998.
Early successes led the Congress to rule 14 of India's 28 states but last December that number fell to 11. Also, the number of Congress members in parliament dropped from 139 to 109 in 1999 from just a year earlier.
Though she has the advantage of age over the incumbent 79-year-old Vajpayee, analysts say Gandhi, 57, has failed to win mass support among voters who are uncomfortable with her foreign origins and limited political experience.
Though Congress trailed in pre-election opinion polls, counting proved otherwise, paving the way for Gandhi to become India's next prime minister.
On Tuesday, May 17, during a meeting of the CP, Gandhi made a declaration that stunned her party, the people of India, and the rest of the world. "I was always certain," she said, "that if ever I found myself in the position that I am in today, I would follow my inner voice. Today, that voice tells me that I must humbly decline this post." Gandhi's supporters pleaded with her to reconsider, but she remained firm in her decision to decline the position. Some claimed that she was bullied into her decision by the BJP opposition, who once again berated Gandhi because of her foreign birth. Others felt that she and her children feared for her safety. But the public Gandhi indicated that she was stepping aside for the good of her party and the good of India.
The day after her announcement, Gandhi nominated longtime friend and government official Manmohan Singh (1932-) to take the reigns as prime minister. On May 19, 2004, his appointment became official. Although Gandhi did not accept the country's top post, she remained at the helm of the CP, and those around her still considered her to be very much in the forefront of Indian politics. As Mani Shankar Aiyar of the CP told Bill Schneider of CNN.com, "She is the queen. She is appointing a regent to run some of the business of government for her. But it is she who will be in charge and who will continue to direct the fortunes of the Congress Party." In addition, after the 2004 elections, it seemed that the Gandhi dynasty would continue at least for another generation, since Sonia and Rajiv's son, Rahul, was successfully elected to the Indian Parliament.
PREDICTION:
Mrs. Sonia Gandhi is born with a strong horoscope and she goes into the Indian polls in positive direction trends. Her influence will rise after 14th May 2009 when Saturn resumes direct motion.
Further Indian politics could see a rise in her dominance as well as a higher role in the politics from September/ October 2009 and then after March 2010.
Considering the trends Mrs. Gandhi is likely to regain her parliamentary seat which she contest and will remain within power and influence trends through the congress party in the times to come.
Her influence and position will further get stronger after November 2012 when her party should get more support from the population of India once again.
Looking at her chart, the congress party should remain within the seat of power and continue to be a major force in the new government to be formed.
She needs to rise to challenges rather than shying away from challenges to increase her position in Indian politics.
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