So Sonia Gandhi had to do what worked for her the last time around: adopt the moralhigh-ground. Frankly, what other option did she have? This was the only optionleft available to her, and as and by itself, it is only the right thing to havedone, as she claims, and relative to the brazen behaviour of those within and without her party, itcould appear to be a graceful act, viewed in isolation. But given the context and thecacophony being generated by her assorted minions seeking to project her as the Great Renunciator, it is difficult to see it as anything other thanyet another resignation inthe grand tradition of Jagdish Tytler, Natwar Singh, Buta Singh et al, yet again packaged as a self-lesssacrifice in the service of the nation. Much water has flowndown the Yamuna since circa 2004. Compounding the whole crisis are the controversies surrounding theCongress-appointed UP governor and the Election Commissioner Navin Chawla. Thesaint had been tainted (from Volcker and Quattrocchi), and the halo which had been dissipating with the ravages of Jharkhand, Goaand Bihar,has only been hollowed even more with this latest episode. Charges ofwitch-hunting and vindictiveness against the Bachchans (and never mind thecompany they keep) in particular would not appear to be baseless anymore.