On a day when speculation raged that the BJP-led coalition was at its shakiest yet, and that J Jayalalitha could pull the plug any moment over the next few days, Sonia gave no hint which way she was going. It was perhaps the best indication of her dilemma: What appears to be a kettleful of options is only an illusion, that she really doesn't have any.

All cards appear to be stacked with Jayalalitha and the Congress president lost another chance to score a few brownie points at the release of the Congress' newsletter which was reborn today. On hand was an eager media, fawning Congress leaders and a tea party to follow. Yet, all Sonia did was read out a prepared text, refuse to take questions and catalyse predictable chaos at the tea party.

Is the Congress ready to form a government? ``Well, there is a government in place.'' Will she bethe prime ministerial candidate in a Congress-led government? ``We shall see, that is a hypothetical question.'' Has the Congress revived enough to concentrate on gaining power? ``The party was in power for 45 years, there is no problem if the Congress leads. We have revived a lot but need to do a lot more.''

Should government officials be transferred under pressure? ``Oh, are they being transferred.'' What do you think of Jayalalitha's pressure politics? ``I am not the person to judge.'' Who is responsible for the political crisis? ``You should direct that question at others.'' That was the sum and substance of Sonia-speak.

All this amid shattering water glasses, tumbling Pepsis, yelling videographers, awed Congressmen, harassed reporters and sweating security men. A usual routine whenever Sonia is presented to the media. Nothing about what the Congress thinks in a rapidly changing scenario or what Sonia should do in the event of things being precipitated from Chennai.

However, there were a few crumbsof political significance. Sharad Pawar and Arjun Singh, two pillars of the CWC, were missing. The beneficiary: Manmohan Singh who was with Sonia wherever she went. And, since the Congress is never a party to quietly accept one candidate as the prime minister, perhaps Manmohan Singh is considered a good alternative as number two if not the number one.

It was yet another event of importance in the Congress calendar that Pawar was missing. He wasn't around when the Sonia-picked team of CWC observers landed in Mumbai for the Rajya Sabha inquiry, he wasn't there for at least two following CWC meetings, he didn't attend Sonia's luncheon meeting on August 9 in Mumbai and he wasn't there today when the ``Congress Sandesh'' was released.

Also of importance is Pawar's apparent shift in stance on government formation. From a position of neutrality, he is now talking in terms of a D-day for the BJP government's collapse, words normally used by Arjun Singh. The CWC, most of which was present at the party newsletter'srelease today, is still divided on forming the next government. People like Pranab Mukherjee, Jitendra Prasada and others talk in terms of inadequate numbers while Arjun Singh, Manmohan Singh, now Pawar, say Congress must take the lead.

None of these divisions are on display in the Congress Sandesh though, an organ which played up the Sonia factor right through its 50 pages. Sonia is slated to write in each of the newsletter's monthly issues but in the inaugural one, she stuck to her agenda of revival of the Congress, improving the state of the nation and staying alert to assume any responsibility which might come the Congress way.

The only harsh attack, apart from the BJP, was reserved for TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu. Evidently, the Congress hasn't forgotten his rigid anti-Sonia stand when the BJP was in the throes of garnering support for the vote of confidence in March.