Sonia to host dinner for party leaders on May 6

Gandhi's son Rahul is expected to replace her in the top office of the party later this year.

Rahul, at present considered number 2 in the party was in the centre of a storm raised by the ruling BJP over his nearly two months of absence after the parliament session began in what the party described as a "leave of absence".

During Rahul's absence, her mother took the lead in uniting opposition parties against the government's proposed land reforms.

Rahul returned to Delhi after 57 days and restarted his political activities by addressing a farmers' rally. After that, he spoke thrice in Parliament to accuse the government of selling out the rights of farmers to favour corporates. "This is a suit-boot ki sarkar (government for the posh)," he said, indicating at the controversial Rs. 10-lakh suit that was worn by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during President Obama's trip to India.

Rahul has recently toured states like Punjab and Maharashtra where he visited the homes of farmers who have committed suicide. He is also scheduled to visit Telengana where a large number of farmers have committed suicide.

The Congress move to mobilise farmers under its banner is going on amid the government's efforts to enact new rules to acquire land for industry and infrastructure projects. The Congress, mowed down in last year's Lok Sabha election, is trying to regain its lost ground by building up an agitation against the Narendra Modi government which it describes as "anti-farmer."