NEW DELHI: With her surprising decision to decline the Indian premiership, Italian-born Sonia Gandhi gained not only widespread international respect, but also the hearts of Indians in the world's largest democracy.

This admiration was reflected in an article by a commentator writing for The Hindu, who speaks to Sonia Gandhi: "You have proven wrong all those critics who saw you as a power-hungry person. More than that, you have restored the faith of the people of this country in the nobility of politics and public service."

As the government of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh celebrates its 100th day in office on Sunday, it remains clear that the real power behind the scenes is held not by Manmohan Singh, but by Sonia Gandhi.

She led her Congress Party to a spectacular victory in the country's elections last May. But after the former ruling Hindu Nationalists from the BJP launched a propaganda battle focusing on her Italian origin, Sonia Gandhi said she had to follow her "inner voice" and "humbly decline" the prime minister post.

Despite the anguish among colleagues following her stunning decision which made some Congress parliamentarians cry and other party members threaten suicide, Sonia Gandhi remained steadfast in her decision.

Even those outside the country showed their respect in admiring her selfless seeming decision that is so uncommon in the political world. But Sonia Gandhi lost no time in actually strengthening her political power base. After her decision to decline the top government post, she herself chose Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who now rules with her input from behind the scenes.

At the same time, Sonia Gandhi got the constitution of the Congress changed to allow herself to take charge of the parliamentary party - a post which has historically been occupied by the prime minister. In this capacity, she now has the tremendous power to replace the prime minister at any time.

Sonia Gandhi also chose key ministers in Manmohan Singh's cabinet. She herself was granted cabinet rank, and she is also the chairman of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), which the coalition jointly formed.

In these capacities, Sonia Gandhi would have access to all government files, Justice Minister H.R. Bharadwaj was quoted as saying last June - a right that is traditionally given only to the prime minister.

A BJP spokesperson and Deputy Parliamentary Party leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra criticized the justice minister's statements as an attempt to create a "parallel extra-constitutional super authority". The government hurried to bring out a statement saying Bharadwaj was quoted out of context.

Forbes magazine even recently named Sonia Gandhi the third most powerful woman in the world, saying she is in the best possible political position. "Gandhi gets to reign over her beloved country anyway without having to take responsibility for any mistakes the government might make," Forbes said.

A public opinion survey by the magazine India Today, revealed that 51 per cent of Indian citizens regard Sonia Gandhi as the country's most powerful person, but only 25 per cent think that of the prime minister - who in May had said there would not be two separate power centres in the country.

Still, no one accuses the widow of the 1991 assassinated former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi of being power hungry. Sonia Gandhi never hid the fact that her personal sense of duty towards her family has driven her into politics.

She chose Manmohan Singh out of her conviction that "he won't be a Frankenstein premier threatening the family", India Today wrote. The 58-year-old Sonia Gandhi is setting the stage for the next potential superstar to emerge from the Gandhi household.

Son Rahul Gandhi now sits in parliament since the election victory in May and the Congress Party reveres the clever 34-year-old. Undoubtedly, at some time in the future he will have his turn to run for the top government post in the land and has a good chance of becoming the fourth prime minister from the Nehru-Gandhi-Dynasty. -dpa