Sonia Gandhi outlines vision of future Indian superpower

NEW DELHI, Nov 17, 2006 (AFP) – Ruling Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi on Friday outlined her vision of India’s future, not as a traditional military superpower, but as a force for world peace and prosperity. The Italian-born Congress leader, who spurned the premiership after her party scored an upset election victory in 2004, urged the rich to be more philanthropic and cited the example of Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

India’s ‘odd couple’ still
going strong mid-way through mandate

by Penelope MacRae

NEW DELHI, Nov 17, 2006 (AFP) – They are the odd couple who have defied
the odds in India’s tumultuous political world, often racked by bitter
infighting.

Ever since Congress president
Sonia Gandhi turned down the prime minister’s job after leading the
party to its surprise May 17, 2004 election win and tapped economic
reformer Manmohan Singh for the job, India’s biggest political parlour
game has been to watch for a rift.