At the onset of the year, Margaret Alva, an esteemed veteran in Congress politics at the age of 80, addressed a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing her concern over the BJP government in Karnataka’s proposed law on religious conversions. In her letter, Alva defended the Christian community, emphasizing their disciplined, non-violent, and service-oriented nature. She questioned the false propaganda and violence directed at Christians, pointing out that despite 200 years of Christian colonial rule and missionary work, their population remains under three percent. Alva’s letter marked her reentry onto the political stage in Karnataka, driven by her active participation in protests against The Karnataka Protection of Right of Freedom of Religion Bill in the latter part of 2021. This resurgence has now positioned her as the Opposition’s ‘consensus’ candidate for the vice-president’s post, putting her back in the political limelight.

Though originally from coastal Karnataka and having represented the Uttara Kannada Lok Sabha constituency in Parliament in 1999, Margaret Alva has been predominantly recognized as a national politician. A lawyer by profession, she entered the Rajya Sabha at the age of 32 and served four terms, spanning 24 consecutive years, starting from 1974. Alva held ministerial roles in various Congress-led central governments, serving under the leadership of Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, and P. V. Narasimha Rao. Notably, she was the Minister for Women and Child Development during Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure.

With a formidable political lineage, Alva’s late husband, Niranjan Thomas Alva, belonged to a family deeply rooted in political activism. His parents, Joachim and Violet Alva, were freedom fighters, becoming the first couple in Parliament. Joachim Alva, Alva’s father-in-law, represented the Kanara constituency in the Lok Sabha for three terms, spanning 15 years from 1952 to 1967. Niranjan, a lawyer and businessman, passed away in 2018.

Margaret Alva’s connection with the Congress high command was once so significant that there were speculations in the Karnataka unit of the party about her being a contender for the Chief Minister’s post around two decades ago. However, her relationship with the party faced a brief strain in 2008 when she criticized the Karnataka unit for allegedly selling election tickets to the highest bidders rather than selecting candidates based on merit. Subsequently, she was temporarily removed from party roles before being appointed as the Governor of Uttarakhand.

Following her gubernatorial assignments in Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Goa, Alva’s focus shifted away from electoral politics in Karnataka. Her son Nivedith Alva has expressed aspirations to represent the Uttara Kannada region in the state legislature, while another son, Niret Alva, has gained recognition as a renowned television producer. Despite the ups and downs in her political journey, Margaret Alva remains an influential figure with a rich political legacy.