The decision came in an urgent meeting of the Mahila Congress state presidents, chaired by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. It became a mandatory step after the party had reserved 33 per cent of its posts for women and a minimum of 20 per cent for minorities, Dalits and OBCs. Till now, Mahila Congress members paid Rs 2 annually as membership fee. In addition, they also paid the Congress membership fee of Re 1 which has since been hiked to Rs 3.

The dual membership had to end, if the women were to challenge their male counterparts in the party. The idea is to form a core from which the women's membership in the Congress can be increased to 33 per cent. The move was proposed by Mahila Congress head Ambika Soni in her paper presented in the meeting and wasendorsed unanimously by the gathering. In future, no members will be enrolled for the Mahila Congress and the unit will lose its autonomous status.

However, as a frontal organisation of the Congress, the mahila morcha will conduct agitations and take up issues. In 1999 the women's wing will take up illiteracy as its main theme, fighting to eradicate it. Sonia has also been authorised to nominate women to the posts at all levels starting from block and district levels.

Though the All India Congress Committee (AICC) cleared the reservation for women on December 18, Sonia has yet to move on that front apart from forming a sub-committee to look into it. This four-member committee is scheduled to submit its report on January 30 after which the party expects Sonia to announce her nominations. Interestingly, a section of Congress' male leadership was present to watch their women colleagues take an important step.