The Nehru-Gandhi governing dynasty is once again on the brink of assuming power of the world's largest democracyafter India's Congress party today said its coalition allies have unanimously backed the party's Italian-born leader, Ms Sonia Gandhi, for the prime minister's post.
After her shock ousting of the ruling Hindu nationalists last week, the 57-year-old will now ask President Abdul Kalam on Monday for approval to form a new government and is likely to be sworn in on Wednesday, party officials said.
A Congress official said the allies unanimously endorsed Mrs Gandhi at a meeting at her residence this evening.
Leftist parties, which won a pivotal 60-plus seats, have pledged their support for Gandhi but are still debating whether to formally join her coalition or lend support from outside the government benches.
Congress spokesman Mr Manmohan Singh, a front-runner for the finance minister's job, said the new coalition had set up a committee to draft a blueprint for government, including key economic policies.
The Communists are also discussing their own joint economic agenda with an eye to reassuring investors after the rupee and shares crashed on Friday to their lowest in months.
Mrs Gandhi will be India's first foreign-born leader, as well as the dynasty's fourth prime minister after her slain husband, Rajiv, mother-in-law Indira and Indira's father Jawaharlal Nehru.
Despite routing Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and his Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress fell short of a majority in the 545-seat parliament and Mrs Gandhi has been in hectic negotiations to settle on the size and shape of her coalition.