Munnar: Though her name may suggest allegiance to the Congress, 34-year-old Sonia Gandhi is contesting as a BJP candidate from Ward 16 of the Munnar panchayat.

Sonia is the wife of BJP panchayat general secretary Subash and the daughter of the late Durairaj, a senior Congress leader and worker at Nallathanni Kallar, who named her after Congress leader Sonia Gandhi in admiration.

However, she shifted her political allegiance to the BJP after her husband became an active party worker. During the Munnar panchayat byelection one and a half years ago, Subash had contested as the BJP candidate from Old Munnar Moolakkada.

In the upcoming election, Sonia Gandhi is contesting against Manjula Ramesh of the Congress and Valarmathi of the CPM.