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Sonia Gandhi

Sonia Gandhi was born as Edvige Antonia Albina Maino. She is an Italian Born Indian politician and is currently the President of the Indian National Congress party, which is one of the oldest and most powerful parties in Indian politics. Sonia Gandhi was born in Italy and is the widow of former Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi. She belongs to the third generation of the Nehru-Gandhi family. After the assassination of her husband Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, she was invited to take over the government but despite constant prodding from the party members, Sonia Gandhi refused and publicly stayed away from politics. However she agreed to join politics in 1997 and in 1998 she was elected as the President of Congress party. Sonia Gandhi has served as the Chairperson of the then ruling United Progressive Alliance in 2004 in Loksabha. She was re elected as the President for the fourth time in September 2010 making her the longest serving president in the 125 year history of the Congress party. Sonia Gandhi is the first since Independence and fifth overall foreign born person to be a leader in the Congress party. Sonia's foreign origin has been a part of controversy in Indian politics and soon after she became the president of the Congress party in 1998, three Congress party senior leaders Sharad Pawar, P A Sangma and Tariq Anwar challenged her right to try to become the Prime Minister because of her foreign origin. Sonia Gandhi offered to resign but there was a huge support within the party for Sonia Gandhi which led to the expulsion of the three rebels who then formed their own party called the Nationalist Congress Party.Sonia Gandhi was born on 9 December 1946 in Contrada Miani, Lusiana and she belonged to a Roman Catholic family with her parents Stefano Miano and Paola Miano. She lived in the village which is approximately 30 kms from Vicenza, Veneto in Italy where the Mianos have lived for generations. She studied in a Catholic school in Orbassano and then in 1964 went to the city of Cambridge to study English in a school under Bell Education Trust. Sonia Gandhi met Rajiv Gandhi at Varsity Restaurant in 1965 where she used to work whereas Rajiv Gandhi was studying at the Trinity College, Cambridge University at that time. Sonia and Rajiv got married in 1968 in a Hindu ceremony and then they moved and lived into the house of her mother-in-law and the then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi. Sonia Gandhi has two children, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Rajiv Gandhi worked as an airline pilot and Sonia took care of the family. Despite being a member of the Nehru family, the couple avoided all involvement in politics. Rajiv actually entered politics after the death of his brother Sanjay Gandhi in a plane crash in 1980. Sonia Gandhi became a primary member of the Congress party in 1997 and later became the President in 1998. In the Loksabha elections of 1999, she contested in two seats one from Bellary, Karnataka and another from Amethi, Uttar Pradesh. She won both the seats and then chose to be a representative of Amethi where she had defeated BJP leader Sushma Swaraj. She was elected as the Leader of Opposition in 1999 and also called a no-confidence motion against NDA government in 2003.In 2004 Sonia Gandhi launched a nationwide campaign against the NDA government and following the unexpected defeat of the NDA she was expected to be the next Prime Minister of the country. However due to opposition from the NDA as well as legal issues Sonia Gandhi chose Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister of the country. In 2013, she became the first Congress President to serve for 15 years continuously. In 2014 she contested and held her seat in Rae Bareli. Forbes powerful list ranked Sonia Gandhi 21st overall and 3rd most powerful woman in 2007. New Statesman listed Sonia Gandhi at number 29 in their annual survey of World's 50 Most Influential Figures in the year 2010.

Rajiv Gandhi 75th Birth Anniversary Today: PM Modi, Gandhi Family Pay Tributes to Late Prime Minister
India.com News Desk | August 20, 2019 8:21 AM IST
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid tributes to former PM Rajiv Gandhi on his 75...
Rajiv Gandhi 75th Birth Anniversary Today: PM Modi, Gandhi Family Pay Tributes to Late Prime Minister
indiacom
2019-08-19T21:21:26+00:00
2019-08-19T21:22:29+00:00
Sonia Gandhi
India.com
India No Place For Intolerance Yet Millions Encounter Discrimination Everyday: Sonia Gandhi
India.com News Desk | August 15, 2019 2:35 PM IST
New Delhi: Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi on Thursday said millions encounter discriminatio...
India No Place For Intolerance Yet Millions Encounter Discrimination Everyday: Sonia Gandhi
indiacom
2019-08-15T03:35:47+00:00
2019-08-15T03:36:25+00:00
Sonia Gandhi
India.com
Pushing Sonia Gandhi to Take Job of Party Chief Not Good Idea: Congress Leader AK Antony
India.com News Desk | August 12, 2019 7:19 AM IST
New Delhi: While the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Saturday elected Sonia Gandhi as interim pr...
Pushing Sonia Gandhi to Take Job of Party Chief Not Good Idea: Congress Leader AK Antony
indiacom
2019-08-11T20:19:09+00:00
2019-08-11T20:19:09+00:00
Sonia Gandhi
India.com
CWC Accepts Rahul Gandhi's Resignation, Appoints Sonia as Interim Congress President
India.com News Desk | August 10, 2019 10:58 PM IST
New Delhi: The Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Saturday elected Sonia Gandhi as interim presiden...
CWC Accepts Rahul Gandhi's Resignation, Appoints Sonia as Interim Congress President
indiacom
2019-08-10T11:58:45+00:00
2019-08-10T12:42:18+00:00
Sonia Gandhi
India.com
CWC Meet Underway; Suspense Over Rahul Gandhi's Successor Likely to End Tonight
India.com News Desk | August 10, 2019 3:57 PM IST
New Delhi: As UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi left the Congress Working Committee (CWC...
CWC Meet Underway; Suspense Over Rahul Gandhi's Successor Likely to End Tonight
indiacom
2019-08-10T04:57:26+00:00
2019-08-10T09:49:40+00:00
Sonia Gandhi
India.com
Article 370: 'Only Sought Clarity From Govt,' Says Cong Leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury After Furore Over His Speech in LS
India.com News Desk | August 6, 2019 3:37 PM IST
New Delhi: His speech on the revocation of Article 370 seemed to have riled even UPA Chairperson Son...
Article 370: 'Only Sought Clarity From Govt,' Says Cong Leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury After Furore Over His S
indiacom
2019-08-06T04:37:42+00:00
2019-08-06T04:37:42+00:00
Sonia Gandhi
India.com
Article 370: Sonia Gandhi Disapproves Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary's Remark Over Kashmir? Watch
India.com News Desk | August 6, 2019 1:36 PM IST
New Delhi: Congress party Lok Sabha leader today questioned the credibility of 'Kashmir as an intern...
Article 370: Sonia Gandhi Disapproves Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary's Remark Over Kashmir? Watch
indiacom
2019-08-06T02:36:36+00:00
2019-08-06T02:58:40+00:00
Sonia Gandhi
India.com
Congress Working Committee to Meet on August 10 Amid Leadership Crisis
India.com News Desk | August 4, 2019 2:36 PM IST
New Delhi: Amid severe leadership crisis in the party, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) is expec...
Congress Working Committee to Meet on August 10 Amid Leadership Crisis
indiacom
2019-08-04T03:36:29+00:00
2019-08-04T03:36:29+00:00
Sonia Gandhi
India.com
Centre Sees RTI Act as Nuisance, Wants to Destroy Status of Central Information Commission: Sonia Gandhi
India.com News Desk | July 23, 2019 10:34 AM IST
New Delhi: Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday slammed the Central Government a day after the Lo...
Centre Sees RTI Act as Nuisance, Wants to Destroy Status of Central Information Commission: Sonia Gandhi
indiacom
2019-07-22T23:34:17+00:00
2019-07-22T23:34:17+00:00
Sonia Gandhi
India.com
Sheila Dikshit's Dedication to Make Delhi a Better Place to Live in Remains Her Lasting Legacy: Sonia Gandhi
India.com News Desk | July 21, 2019 6:44 AM IST
New Delhi: UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi wrote a letter to Sheila Dikshit's children, condoling the d...
Sheila Dikshit's Dedication to Make Delhi a Better Place to Live in Remains Her Lasting Legacy: Sonia Gandhi
indiacom
2019-07-20T19:44:44+00:00
2019-07-21T02:10:09+00:00
Sonia Gandhi
India.com
CWC Likely to Meet Next Week to Decide on Interim President
India.com News Desk | July 12, 2019 1:46 PM IST
New Delhi: The Congress's top decision-making body, CWC, is likely to meet next week to decide on an...
CWC Likely to Meet Next Week to Decide on Interim President
indiacom
2019-07-12T02:46:16+00:00
2019-07-12T02:47:26+00:00
Sonia Gandhi
India.com
Congress Old Guard Wants Sonia Back Amidst Chorus For Young President
IANS | July 11, 2019 9:49 PM IST
New Delhi:The old guard in the Congress is looking up to Sonia Gandhi to become the interim Presiden...
Congress Old Guard Wants Sonia Back Amidst Chorus For Young President
indiacom
2019-07-11T10:49:31+00:00
2019-07-11T10:49:31+00:00
Sonia Gandhi
India.com
Sonia Gandhi Opposes Privatisation of Coach Factory, Says Govt Employees Not Getting Salary
India.com News Desk | July 2, 2019 1:59 PM IST
New Delhi: Former Congress President and Chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Sonia ...
Sonia Gandhi Opposes Privatisation of Coach Factory, Says Govt Employees Not Getting Salary
indiacom
2019-07-02T02:59:16+00:00
2019-07-02T03:21:24+00:00
Sonia Gandhi
India.com
With Rahul Gandhi Adamant to Quit as Congress Chief, Several Senior Leaders May Now Quit Too
India.com News Desk | June 28, 2019 9:43 AM IST
New Delhi: A day after senior Congress leader and lawyer Vivek Tankha quit as the chairperson of All...
With Rahul Gandhi Adamant to Quit as Congress Chief, Several Senior Leaders May Now Quit Too
indiacom
2019-06-27T22:43:34+00:00
2019-06-27T22:49:58+00:00
Sonia Gandhi
India.com
Sonia, Rahul Should Apologise For Injustice Done to PV Narasimha Rao: Grandson
PTI | June 27, 2019 8:20 PM IST
Grandson of PV Narasimha Rao on Thursday hit back at a senior Congress leader for his allegations ag...
Sonia, Rahul Should Apologise For Injustice Done to PV Narasimha Rao: Grandson
indiacom
2019-06-27T09:20:14+00:00
2019-06-27T09:20:14+00:00
Sonia Gandhi
India.com
Rahul Gandhi Refuses to Reconsider Decision to Step Down as Congress Chief
India.com News Desk | June 26, 2019 1:19 PM IST
New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday was once again determined to not take back his resignation as C...
Rahul Gandhi Refuses to Reconsider Decision to Step Down as Congress Chief
indiacom
2019-06-26T02:19:00+00:00
2019-06-26T02:23:40+00:00
Sonia Gandhi
India.com
'You Came to Power by Calling Them Thief, How Are Sonia ji, Rahul ji Here?' Cong's Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury Asks PM
India.com News Desk | June 24, 2019 3:36 PM IST
New Delhi: Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Monday came down heavily on the Ce...
'You Came to Power by Calling Them Thief, How Are Sonia ji, Rahul ji Here?' Cong's Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury Ask
indiacom
2019-06-24T04:36:19+00:00
2019-06-24T04:36:19+00:00
Sonia Gandhi
India.com
Sonia Gandhi to Meet Opposition Leaders in Parliament Today
India.com News Desk | June 18, 2019 2:51 PM IST
New Delhi: UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi will on Tuesday meet opposition leaders in Parliament, news ...
Sonia Gandhi to Meet Opposition Leaders in Parliament Today
indiacom
2019-06-18T03:51:42+00:00
2019-06-18T03:51:42+00:00
Sonia Gandhi
India.com
Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Arrive in Rae Bareli to Strategise For 2022 UP Assembly Elections
India.com News Desk | June 12, 2019 3:59 PM IST
Lucknow: UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Vadra arrived in Rae B...
Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Arrive in Rae Bareli to Strategise For 2022 UP Assembly Elections
indiacom
2019-06-12T04:59:13+00:00
2019-06-12T04:59:13+00:00
Sonia Gandhi
India.com
Sonia Gandhi Condoles Girish Karnad's Death, Says he Fought For Freedom of Expression
India.com News Desk | June 11, 2019 10:21 PM IST
Many have been paying their homage to multilingual scholar-actor Girish Karnad who passed away on Mo...
Sonia Gandhi Condoles Girish Karnad's Death, Says he Fought For Freedom of Expression
indiacom
2019-06-11T11:21:22+00:00
2019-06-11T11:21:22+00:00
Sonia Gandhi
India.com