Fact Sheet: Renuka overshadows Purandareshwari!

The ongoing Presidential elections have provided an excellent opportunity to Union Minister of State for Women Development and Child Welfare Renuka Chowdary to get closer to Madam Sonia Gandhi and overshadow her colleague from Andhra – Daggubati Purandareshwari, who had hitherto been the blue-eyed girl of the madam.

When the Bharatiya Janata Party pitched its trump card Sushma Swaraj to campaign for NDA-backed candidate Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and attack UPA candidate Pratibha Patil by digging out various scandals against her, the Congress found a better choice in Renuka to counter Sushma. And Renuka grabbed the opportunity with both the hands. In her two press conferences, Renuka effectively handled the allegations against Pratibha and launched a scathing attack on Sushma and her brigade. Her command in English as well as Hindi came in handy and the national media gave her a lot of coverage, which restored the prestige of the UPA.

Obviously, Sonia is very much pleased with Renuka's performance. Indications are that she might promote Renuka in the party and give her the much sought-after AICC publicity incharge post, which was held by Sonia's close aides like Ambika Soni and Priyaranjan Das Munshi.