Going back to CWC meeting of May 15, 1999, Thomas writes, “Reclining on a white cushion, Sharad Pawar smiled at P A Sangma. That was the green signal for revolt in the party — a fact not known to many members present at the meeting. Sonia was “dumbstruck” when Sangma raised her foreign origin issue.
“Pawar started from where Sangma stopped. He praised her role as president of the party in bringing about unity in the party and making it vibrant. Then he went on to add that the party was not able to counter the propaganda on Sonia's foreign birth,” writes Thomas.
Sonia sensed the rebellion when she heard these words from Sharad Pawar who she had made Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha.
