The Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi is expected to be back at home shortly. This must be heartwarming news for the ruling party which is being accused of mishandling the biggest protests in decades and worsening ties with parliamentary allies.

Indian Media reported that Mrs. Gandhi, 64, India's most powerful politician who has been absent for a month with an undisclosed illness, could be back, from the U.S by Tuesday night, at Delhi. The Congress party denied this.

With the return of Mrs. Gandhi, the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, could go ahead with a reform agenda he himself considers vital to bring India's economic growth closer to double-digits. The absence of Mrs. Gandhi left him behind schedule.

Broadcaster NDTV, citing Congress party sources, said the Italian-born Mrs. Gandhi was expected to return to the capital on Tuesday, but it was not clear when she would return to work.

The Times of India, without citing any sources, said: "She is likely to need at least another couple of months for a full recovery."

The nature of illness has never been disclosed by the party. However, several media outlets have said she was treated for cancer at the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

In the absence of Mrs. Gandhi her son Mr. Rahul Gandhi, who is the Member of the Parliament of India, representing the Amethi constituency was promoted to help manage the party. He is widely expected to be the next prime minister if the Congress party returns to power in 2014 elections.