Kapil Sibal’s resignation is the latest high-profile exit from the Congress.
Former Union minister Kapil Sibal today revealed that he has quit the Congress party in a blistering moment after he filed his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha as an independent candidate backed by the Samajwadi Party.
“I had resigned from the Congress party on May 16,” Kapil Sibal told reporters.
When questions poured in, he quipped, “I am no longer a senior Congress leader.”
Mr Sibal resigned a day after a brainstorming session of the Congress held to discuss the roadmap for the party’s revival after a series of disastrous electoral defeats. He was thrown out of the larger meeting and was no longer part of the Congressional Advisory Groups.
“I had a close relationship with Congress. It was for 30-31 years. It is no small thing. I joined Congress because of Rajiv ji (former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi). You must be thinking, how can one leave? It is Congress after 31 years. Something should happen that my heart feels. Sometimes, such decisions need to be taken. But my ideology is of Congress. I am not far from Congress and its ideology. I am with feelings. I am of the party,” he said.
“We are all constrained by the fact that we are members of parties and have to follow the discipline of that party, but it is important to have an independent voice. When an independent is raised, people will feel that he is someone else. Not affiliated with the party.”
It is the latest high-profile exit from Congress and the fifth in five months.
Rahul Gandhi “Do not leave Congress” mission before “Jodo India” yatra.
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) 25 May 2022
Like most exits in the last two years, this too comes as no surprise to India’s oldest party.
Mr. Sibal, a well-known lawyer who has represented politicians across the spectrum and was once among the most senior Congress leaders, was the driving force behind the “G-23”, or group of 23 dissidents, who spearheaded a complete overhaul of the party. was called upon. The leadership and the organization had written a letter to party president Sonia Gandhi two years ago.
He has been outspoken and increasingly sharp in his criticism of Gandhi’s leadership, especially Rahul Gandhi. He had also openly called upon a non-Gandhi to be the Congress chief.
Mr. Sibal’s Rajya Sabha term ends in July. In 2016, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh as a Congress candidate backed by the Samajwadi Party, which is in power in the state. Congress now has only two MLAs in the UP Assembly, so it cannot elect anyone from the state to the Rajya Sabha.
The Samajwadi Party has 111 MLAs in the 403-member UP Assembly and can send three members to the upper house of Parliament. The BJP has 255 members and it can send eight members to the Rajya Sabha.
Sibal filed his nomination papers in the presence of Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav.
The Samajwadi Party’s move to support Mr Sibal is being seen as a vendetta after his efforts as a lawyer for party MP Azam Khan.
Mr. Sibal had represented Azam Khan in the Supreme Court. Azam Khan was released on interim bail by the Supreme Court after spending two years in jail.
11 seats of Uttar Pradesh will be included in the Rajya Sabha elections next month.
Akhilesh Yadav said, “Kapil Sibal is the first person we have selected for the Rajya Sabha elections. Two more nominations will be announced soon.”