Italian press trumpets Sonia's triumph

"Italian Sonia Gandhi triumphs," trumpeted Italy's leading daily Corriere della Sera in a front-page headline.

"Sonia Gandhi: an Italian triumphs in India," echoed the headline in the leftist La Repubblica.

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Born on December 9, 1946 into the family of a middle-class building contractor, Sonia was born Sonia Maino and grew up in Orbassano, located in the shadow of Italy's northern giant Turin.

But she left her Italian home town far behind when she married Rajiv Gandhi, scion of India's political first family in February 1968. She acquired Indian nationality in 1984 and her husband was assassinated in 1991.

"Against all expectations, there is now little doubt that the Italian from Orbassano will become India's next prime minister," said La Repubblica.