Here's what made Sonia Gandhi change her mind and attend Sharad Pawar's birthday bash

NEW DELHI: It was 'touch and go' for the NCP brass, as far as getting Congress president Sonia Gandhi to share the dais with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the 75th birthday celebrations of their party stalwart Sharad Pawar was concerned. The confirmation apparently came only on Wednesday night, a day before the event at Vigyan Bhawan.

For all the heartburn and rancor over parting ways in Maharashtra, the fact that NCP was keen to showcase the span of Pawar's political acceptability and to not have the Congress president would have diluted the message since the two parties have been allies for long. As sources pointed out, Sonia had also given her confirmation about six months back but developed second thoughts on hearing about Modi's presence at the event. But quite in the typical NCP-Pawar style, the best stroke was played on December 9, Sonia Gandhi's birthday when both Pawar and his daughter Supriya Sule went together to personally wish the Congress president on her birthday. It proved to be the right occasion to also reiterate the invitation.

NCP leaders planning the event hoped that Sonia would reciprocate the gesture. Also, a soft political message was conveyed through party channels that this would be the right time for both parties to show engagement.

At the event itself, Congress vicepresident Rahul Gandhi was not part of the high-powered retinue on the dais but NCP leaders made sure to invite him later, when leaders shook hands. It was at that point when Modi passed him and exchanged greetings, leading to the photo moment of the two together.

Meanwhile, sources said, the PM himself made a small conversation with leaders there, including the Vice-President on the disruptions in the Raya Sabha.