Sonia Revamps Congress Party - July 17th 2004. v DMK will join Congress-led govt - May 19, 2004 Sonia Gandhi, The Leader of Indian National Congress Party History of Congress Party Born December 9, 1946 in Italy. Married Rajiv Gandhi and into India’s political first family in 1968. 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. Visit INOC - Indian National Overseas Congresss - USA website