Astonished Congressmen watched as Sonia shed her inhibitions and jumped, feet first, into the thick of backroom manoeuvrings to swing things for the Opposition.

The lights burned through the night at 10 Janpath. After a tea meeting with G K Moopanar which brought the TMC around, Sonia was on the phone to Kanshi Ram and Mayawati in the wee hours of the morning asking for the BSP's support to vote the Government out.

She even called J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah to her house this morning to try and persuade the National Conference to change its mind.

Congress circles are quite bemused by Sonia's pro-active role through the entire operation. In her new avatar, she isnot the Sphinx of yore. She spent 80 minutes with Jayalalitha, 45 minutes with Moopanar and several minutes on the phone with the BSP leaders.

She had, of course, crossed the Rubicon when she started dealing with Deve Gowda and Harkishan Singh Surjeet herself a couple of months ago. But her political greening really began when the race for numbers entered the final lap this week.

There were late-night and early morning meetings at 10 Janpath. She would telephone her team members virtually every half an hour for an update on the numbers. And when word got back to her that potential allies were upset by her aloofness, she unbent and made contact. The drama with Mayawati was a classic example of her changing role. Sharad Pawar was the first Congress leader to reach Mayawati's house after she announced in the Lok Sabha late last night that the BSP MPs would abstain. Mayawati apparently asked why the Congress president could not speak to her directly for the BSP's support.

Pawar contacted Ajit Jogi, who hasbeen an interlocutor with Mayawati in the past, and suggested that he visit her and get Sonia to talk to her. Jogi went sometime in the early hours of the morning and Mayawati spoke to Sonia on his cellphone.

Sonia also called Kanshi Ram in Patna and the BSP supremo flew to Delhi on the morning flight to tie up the loose ends.

The bait for the BSP to change its decision was the likelihood of the Kalyan Singh-led coalition Government falling after the exit of the Vajpayee Government at the Centre. In addition, the Congress is looking at an electoral tie-up with the BSP in UP.

The UP angle to the BSP's change of heart was indicated by Pramod Mahajan this evening. He said Mayawati had met Vajpayee at 10:30 am to ask for Kalyan Singh's dismissal but the prime minister refused. Mayawati then walked out with a vow to topple the Vajpayee Government, Mahajan said later.

Sonia does not talk details. Her interaction with the leaders of other political parties is much like that of a Head of State. First, heremissaries settle the nitty-gritty and then she puts the finishing touches.