Party president Sonia Gandhi spent over an hour this morning at 10, Janpath playing host to around 500 Jats from Delhi and surrounding areas. Amid the bonhomie she received probably the oddest gift in recent times: a cow and a calf. Apparently, gifting a cow and a calf is considered the highest honour a Jat can bestow on anyone and it is believed to symbolise loyalty and friendship.

And though odd, the Congress chief was more than glad to receive them. It is being seen as a ``good omen'' for the Congress in November 25 state polls to Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi and Mizoram in which Jat votes count heavily in Rajasthan and Delhi.

Also considered a welcome sign: the Jats were not rounded up by local Congressmen as is the norm but came with aformer Arjuna Awardee, Sanjay, a wrestler who pledged the support of the Jat community to the Congress. Though this by no means suggests that the BJP is out of favour with the Jats, it does add to the growing impression that the Rightist party has its task cut out after imposing Sushma Swaraj in Verma's place.

There were also tons of desi ghee and other rustic delights with the Jats who left seemingly in good spirits after having met the Congress president. The Congress now is keen to reciprocate - with the Jats having come to 10, Janpath, it's time for Sonia to go to the Jats.

She plans to do that having chosen Rajasthan as the beginning of her poll campaign which is expected to be gruelling. Jats have a decisive influence in Rajasthan politics and the Congress is keen to consolidate their votes. In the 1998 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress won in 18 of the 25 parliamentary constituencies implying 144 of the 200 assembly seats.

The Congress list for Rajasthan is expected to have a fair sprinkling ofheavyweights and the party has appointed CWC member Manmohan Singh as head of the screening committee to clear the list of nominees. Singh is slated to start work soon following the Pradesh Election Committee's decision to leave it all to Sonia.

Also, the Congress Election Committee for the four states, involving CWC members, concerned AICC general secretaries for the states, PCC heads, CLP leaders and others, is scheduled to begin meeting for three days from October 27 here. The party hopes to start releasing the names of candidates from October 30.