{"page":"\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/resources-c03aa079.css\" /\u003e\n\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/lp_boclips_stylesheets-517835be.css\" media=\"all\" /\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-title='INDIA: OPPOSITION LEADER SONIA GANDHI STEPS DOWN' data-url='/boclips/videos/5c54bf98d8eafeecae1445c1' data-video-url='/boclips/videos/5c54bf98d8eafeecae1445c1' id='bo_player_modal'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='boclips-resource-page modal-dialog panel-container'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='react-notifications-root'\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-header'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-type'\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-regular fa-circle-play'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nVideo\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch1 class='rp-title' id='video-title'\u003e\nINDIA: OPPOSITION LEADER SONIA GANDHI STEPS DOWN\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-actions'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='mr-1'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"btn btn-success\" data-posthog-event=\"Signup: LP Signup Activity\" data-posthog-location=\"body_link_boclips\" data-remote=\"true\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGet Free Access\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e for 10 Days\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e!\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-body'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-info'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Hide resource details' class='rp-hide-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u0026times;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Expand resource details' class='rp-expand-info fai fa-solid fa-up-right-and-down-left-from-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Compress resource details' class='rp-compress-info fai fa-solid fa-down-left-and-up-right-to-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-rating'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='resource-pool'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-label'\u003ePublisher:\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-name'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='text'\u003e\u003ca data-publisher-id=\"30356011\" href=\"/search?publisher_ids%5B%5D=30356011\"\u003eCurated Video\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-description'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='short-description'\u003eEnglish/NatSonia Gandhi, president of India's main opposition Congress party, stepped down on Monday in response to a political revolt by three senior party leaders.Three powerful leaders of the party - Sharad Pawar, Purno Sangma and...\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='full-description hide'\u003eEnglish/Nat\u003cbr/\u003eSonia Gandhi, president of India's main opposition Congress party, stepped down on Monday in response to a political revolt by three senior party leaders.\u003cbr/\u003eThree powerful leaders of the party - Sharad Pawar, Purno Sangma and Tariq Anwar - have questioned the Italy-born Sonia Gandhi's claim to become India's prime minister.\u003cbr/\u003eHowever the resignation offer was immediately rejected by members of the all-powerful Congress Working Committee, the party's highest decision-making body.\u003cbr/\u003eMembers and supporters of Sonia Gandhi's main opposition Congress party held noisy demonstrations to protest against rebel members who questioned her leadership. \u003cbr/\u003eFormer defence minister Sharad Pawar, former parliament speaker Purno Sangma and senior leader Tariq Anwar led the revolt.\u003cbr/\u003eThe three powerful leaders of the party said she should not be the party's candidate for prime minister in coming elections because of her Italian origins and lack of experience.\u003cbr/\u003eThe challenge came at the weekend in a letter to Gandhi.\u003cbr/\u003eThe letter said it was not possible that a country of 980 (m) million people, with a wealth of education, competence and ability, could have anyone other than an Indian, born of Indian soil, to head its government.\"\u003cbr/\u003eIt also said the party's top candidate should have a track record in public life.\u003cbr/\u003eTempers ran high as members and supporters gathered at party headquarters, unaware that Sonia Gandhi was about to quit. \u003cbr/\u003eHer supporters called the rebels traitors and said they should be hit with shoes . \u003cbr/\u003eTwo hot air balloons, one painted with the Congress Party tricolor of saffron, white and green and the other with the party's election symbol, the palm of a hand, floated above the party headquarters.\u003cbr/\u003eMeanwhile Congress party leaders struggled  to patch up the internal rift.\u003cbr/\u003eA meeting of the elite Congress Working Committee to  discuss the issue was delayed by more than three hours until 19:30 (1400 GMT).\u003cbr/\u003eIt was called to consider the demand by the three senior members that Gandhi should not be the party's candidate for prime minister in coming elections.\u003cbr/\u003eAfter the meeting at a press conference, Pranab Mukherjee a Congress spokesperson made the announcement that Sonia Gandhi had resigned as president of India's main opposition party.\u003cbr/\u003eSOUNDBITE: (English)\u003cbr/\u003e\"Congress President Sonia Gandhi has resigned. On fifteenth of May she penned down her resignation letter and today in the working committee meeting she disclosed this information and gave the resignation letter.\"\u003cbr/\u003eSUPER CAPTION: Pranab Mukherjee, Congress spokesperson\u003cbr/\u003eSonia Gandhi said in her letter to the panel that she was pained by her colleagues lack of confidence in her ability to act in the best interests of the party and the country. \u003cbr/\u003eShe said that in those circumstances, her sense of loyalty to the party and duty to her country compelled her to tender her resignation. \u003cbr/\u003eBut Mukherjee told reporters the offer was immediately rejected by members of the all-powerful Congress Working Committee, (C-W-C) the party's highest decision-making body.\u003cbr/\u003eMukherjee also said the leadership committee had rejected a demand by three senior members that Gandhi should not be the party's candidate for prime minister in this autumn's elections.\u003cbr/\u003eHowever no disciplinary action was proposed against the three.\u003cbr/\u003eAll the members of the C-W-C plan to go to Gandhi's house on Monday night to persuade her to reconsider her decision. \u003cbr/\u003eSonia Gandhi, who entered politics just last year, has never held elected office.\u003cbr/\u003eThe letter was the first gesture of defiance in the party against her. \u003cbr/\u003eShe enjoys widespread name-recognition and support as the widow of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and daughter-in-law of Prime Minister Indira  Gandhi.\u003cbr/\u003eNew Delhi, India, May 17, 1999/ File \u003cbr/\u003eMay 17, 1999\u003cbr/\u003e1. Wide of Sonia Gandhi 's supporters shouting slogans outside congress office\u003cbr/\u003e2. Mid shot Sonia cutout\u003cbr/\u003e3. Close shot of old man shouting slogans\u003cbr/\u003e4. Tilt down from Sonia cutout to supporter shouting slogans\u003cbr/\u003e5. Close shot woman shouting slogans\u003cbr/\u003e6. Various of crowd gathered at the Congress office in support of Sonia\u003cbr/\u003e7. Woman shouting slogans\u003cbr/\u003e8. Man shouting slogans holding microphone\u003cbr/\u003e9. Congress party flags\u003cbr/\u003e10. Muslim woman standing in queue outside congress office\u003cbr/\u003e11. Sonia supporters walking towards hot air balloons painted with the Congress Party tricolor\u003cbr/\u003e12. Women sitting on hunger strike demanding action against those who have spoken out against Sonia\u003cbr/\u003e13. Crowd outside Congress office\u003cbr/\u003eFile -April 19, 1999 \u003cbr/\u003e14. Sonia Gandhi with Sharad Pawar , one of the three congress leaders who have challenged Sonia's claim to Prime minister because of her Italian birth\u003cbr/\u003e15. Cutaway cameras\u003cbr/\u003e16. Wide of Sonia with Congress leaders\u003cbr/\u003e17. Mid shot Sonia with Sharad Pawar\u003cbr/\u003eFile -April 17 , 1999 \u003cbr/\u003e18. Wide of Sonia Gandhi presiding over Congress working committee meeting\u003cbr/\u003e19. Sharad Pawar ( on the right ) at congress meeting\u003cbr/\u003e20. Mid shot Sonia\u003cbr/\u003eMay 17 - early evening pictures\u003cbr/\u003e21 Sonia Gandhi entering Congress Working Party meeting\u003cbr/\u003e22. Sonia Gandhi exiting meeting   \u003cbr/\u003e23. Interior wide of Congress Working Party press conference\u003cbr/\u003e24. SOUNDBITE: (English) Pranab Mukherjee, Congress spokesperson \u003cbr/\u003e25. 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