Congress circles believe that this could be the beginning of Rahul's initiation into full-time politics. Certainly, his mother is keen. Although she shies away from defining Rahul's future role in the party, Sonia has made pointed references to her son's interest in politics to all journalists who have met her recently in the one-to-one series organised by her media managers.

Sources close to 10, Janpath revealed that over the past couple of months, Rahul has been telephoning his mother frequently and talking politics. He has also been keeping tabs on political developments in the country through the Internet, the sources said.

The forthcoming elections will give Rahul his first taste of the rough and tumble of Indian politics. Not only will he accompany his mother everywhere oncecampaigning starts officially, he is already actively involved in finalising her tour plans, security arrangements and speeches.

So is Priyanka for that matter. But after things are in place, she will remain stationed in Amethi to canvass for her mother while her brother hits the national trail with Sonia. This is Sonia's way of introducing Rahul to the country as also her talisman against the Opposition's attack on her foreign origin.

Rahul's return has surprised Congressmen who saw Priyanka as the natural inheritor of the Nehru-Gandhi political legacy. The general impression in Congress circles was that it was Priyanka who was politically inclined, not Rahul.

Congress leaders feel that his decision to come back to India was prompted by the attack on his mother's Italian birth. He was here during those emotional days following Sharad Pawar's revolt and was Sonia's main emotional bulwark.

Congress leaders maintain that Rahul was ``overcome'' by the overwhelming support he saw for Sonia and the Gandhiname and this stirred his interest in the party. Ultimately, it influenced him to come back ``for good''.

The party is, however, mystified about his future role. Congress leaders know that he will be active during the campaign. And at one point, it was intensely speculated that he would even contest. But this plan appears to have been shelved, largely because it was felt that with both mother and son in the fray, the Congress would expose itself to further ridicule about its dependence on the dynasty.

The next step will be apparent only after the elections are over. Needless to say, the party is already jubilating at the prospect of one more member of the dynasty formally entering its ranks.