Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar was due to arrive in the city late in the night. He is expected to camp in the city for three days.

Gadgil, who is recuperating at a private hospital here, said in a statement that ``those opposing Sonia on the basis of her foreign origin are the Trojan horses of the BJP and they should have no place in the party.''

Gadgil, who is a special invitee to the Congress Working Committee, stated that overwhelming Congressmen in Maharashtra fully support Sonia Gandhi's leadership and it is their wish that she should continue to lead both the organisation and the Parliamentary Party.

``Sonia Gandhi is totally Indianised during the last 31
years and the common people have unreservedly accepted her as an Indian. She is an Indian by instinct. Her lifestyle, manners, habits, clothes, food habits indeed all her reactions and responses are totally Indian. She is as much an Indian as any of us,'' Gadgil said.

He appealed all the Congress workers in the state to stand by Sonia Gandhi unitedly.

In a related development, the local Congress leaders today started collecting signatures of corporators in support of Sonia Gandhi.

The party sources said about 25 corporators out of 40 had sent their letters to Sonia Gandhi, requesting her to reconsider her decision to step down from the post of party president. The party leaders heaved a sigh of relief when most of the corporators readily offered to send the letters. The signature campaign was initiated by former mayor Vandana Chavan and Anil Bhosale.

Pune City District Congress Committee and other party wings also sent separate letters to Sonia Gandhi, urging her to continue as party president.