New Delhi, March 22: Till she turned to Sonia Gandhi for some ?motherly advice?, Avantika Maken wasn?t sure if she wanted to get into a second marriage at all.

Her groom-to-be was a ?friend? from Sonia?s ?Congress family? but Avantika ?the grandchild of the late former president Shankar Dayal Sharma and daughter of Lalit Maken and Gitanjali, both of who were assassinated 20 years ago ? was a trifle wary.

After all, her first marriage to an air force officer a few years ago had ended in a split. With a little girl to bring up, she wasn?t sure if she was making the right decision.

?Go ahead; he is a nice boy,? Sonia told her approvingly, but not before asking Avantika ? a general secretary of the Congress-affiliated National Students? Union of India ? whether she had spoken to her grandmother.

The groom is one Ashok Tanwar who Sonia appointed Indian Youth Congress president just three months ago. Tanwar accompanied Avantika to 10 Janpath for the ?private meeting? today.

Tanwar first broached the subject with Sonia. He introduced Avantika to her as his prospective bride before she sought Sonia?s advice.

?She is really like mother to me. I lost my parents when I was still very young. I could not turn to anybody else for advice,? Avantika said.

Approval got, Avantika sprung a related request on Sonia. ?You should allow me to quit politics after this marriage,? she pleaded. Expectedly, Sonia could not refuse.

Sonia then pushed Tanwar, who she has entrusted with the responsibility of galvanising the youth Congress, to finish his doctoral thesis fast, preferably before the wedding. Tanwar is doing his PhD in history at the Jawaharlal Nehru University.

The couple has decided to formally get engaged on April 3. They have invited Sonia to bless them.