Sonia's resignation immediately shocked the huge network of Congress cadres across the country as they began an anxious wait in the hope that she would reconsider her decision on the appeal of 20-odd CWC members who trooped into 10, Janpath, late tonight pleading that Sonia stay on.

Views are divided on what Sonia would do now, her loyalists saying it's the end as far as Sonia is concerned and many others hoping political compulsions would make her stay on, but the impact of her resignation was felt all over. It has altered the scenario for the coming elections at least for the Congress.

If Sonia remains firm on quitting, the Congress needs to go into the poll with a newleader effectively reducing its chances of a good showing in the elections. That would be disastrous for the party. With this in mind, some leaders are viewing Sonia's resignation as a ploy to get everybody pleading with her to lead the way. If that happens, she could diminish the effects of the BJP's campaign on her foreign birth, at least that is what 10, Janpath, is hoping for.

Sonia's resignation letter, though, was full of hurt. Apparently written late on Saturday night, it said: ``At this morning's meeting of the CWC, certain of my colleagues expressed views to the effect that my having been born elsewhere is a liability to the Congress party. I am pained by the lack of confidence in my ability to act in the best interests of the party and the country.

``In these circumstances, my sense of loyalty to the party and duty to my country compel me to tender my resignation from the ost of party president. Though born in a foreign land, I chose India as my country. I am Indian and I will remain so till mylast breath. India is my motherland, dearer to me than my own life.

``I came into the service of the Congress knowing that it is the only party capable of providing India with a stable, secular, progressive and independent government. That belief remains unshakeable. I came into the service of the party not for a position of power but because the party faced a challenge to its very existence and I could not stand idly by. I do not intend to do so now,'' Sonia wrote.

She handed it over to the CWC as soon as the meeting began at 7.30 pm and left after seven minutes saying since she was being discussed, she would like to stay away. In any case I have resigned, she told the CWC before storming out. It was dramatic and it had the desired effect. At least one CWC member, Ambika Soni, is said to have burst into tears while the others were stunned.

Sonia remains the only vote catcher in the Congress and when she walked out of 24, Akbar Road, tonight, many CWC members saw their own chances of political survivaldisappearing with Sonia. Sonia sat almost in disbelief through the meeting while Pranab Mukherjee tried to get things going. It took a while but the CWC got together and passed two resolutions, one rejecting the rebel trio's demands and the other pleading with Sonia to stay on.

Basically, the CWC was saying that if Sonia goes, the Congress goes too. This was the line they used with Sonia in their late night meeting with her after the CWC meeting ended at 9.45 pm. The fate of the rebel trio, Sharad Pawar, P A Sangma and Tariq Anwar, seems to have been sealed in the Congress.The CWC has decided to expel the trio but it may take some time. Mukherjee threw enough hints though. The grounds of throwing them out is not the letter they wrote to Sonia, saying a non-Indian cannot be Prime Minister, but the fact that all three stayed away from tonight's CWC meeting.

``...It is highly improper to make it public and also improper to demand that a CWC meeting be called and then not attend it,'' Mukherjee said. Sangmawas apparently asked not to go to the US and stay back for the CWC meeting. He didn't. Pawar, who wrote a letter of dissent to Oscar Fernandes over the haste with which the CWC met tonight, claimed he had prior commitments and couldn't attend.

``His only commitment was to meet Jayalalitha in Chennai today. He was informed yesterday that this meeting has been postponed and that he need not go to Chennai. Therefore, his plea of a previous commitment is unsustainable,'' Mukherjee added. Tariq Anwar was the worst off. He is in Delhi and took the plea that since the other two were not attending tonight's CWC meeting, he too would not attend.

The CWC also rejected the rebels' demand that the Congress suggest Constitutional amendments barring any non-Indian by birth from becoming the President, Vice-President or Prime Minister of India. In effect, the door has been shut on Pawar, Sangma and Anwar.