'Have Quit Cong': Backed by Akhilesh & Team SP, Kapil Sibal Files Nomination for Rajya Sabha Polls

Congress leader Kapil Sibal announced on Wednesday that he had resigned from the grand old party on May 16 and now wants “to be an independent voice in the Rajya Sabha” as he filed his nomination for the upcoming Rajya Sabha election with support of the Samajwadi Party, in the presence of Akhilesh Yadav and senior party leader Ram Gopal Yadav in Lucknow.

After filing his nomination, Sibal said, “Today I have filed my nomination as an independent candidate. I would like to thank Akhilesh Yadav, Azam Khan and Professor Ram Gopal Yadav, who had helped me last time as well. I am no longer a senior leader of Congress. I resigned from the Congress on May 16. I will continue to raise the voice of UP in the Rajya Sabha without any party. I will continue to be a voice in the House against every injustice.”

Earlier, there were speculations that Sibal may fight the polls for the Upper House on an SP ticket. Reports said the Samajwadi Party is confident of winning three seats, of these, one each may be given to RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary and Sibal.

“I argue cases in every state. I stand for people who are facing issues. I believe injustice has been done to Azam Khan,” Sibal told News18 after filing his nomination.

When reporters asked him a question on the grand old party, Sibal replied, “I’ll not say anything about Congress. I’ve resigned, so it’s not appropriate for me to say anything about Congress. It’s not easy to leave a relationship of 30-31 years.

“Congress party was a family to me. When I was in the Congress, I had the duty to speak. Now it is for the Congress to speak. I hope the Congress rejuvenates and becomes the force it should be. Past is past, no ill will. I have great affection for all Congress leaders. I want to be an independent voice in the country. All opposition parties have to be together to fight against the present dispensation, it’s my dream. Every party has a significant role to play. Hindi-speaking belts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are very significant.”

Sibal is believed to share a warm relationship with many SP leaders, including Akhilesh Yadav and Azam Khan. “Kapil Sibal is going to the Rajya Sabha with the support of SP. Two more people may be sent to the Upper House. Kapil Sibal is a senior advocate and he has also kept his opinion well in Parliament. We hope that he will keep the SP and his side as well now,” Akhilesh Yadav said.

Sibal recently represented jailed Azam Khan in the Supreme Court and helped him secure an interim bail. He also helped Akhilesh retain the party’s bicycle symbol in 2017 when the first family was locked in an intense feud, probably the worst in the SP’s existence.

The Rajya Sabha berth to Kapil Sibal is being considered as a big reward to him by the Samajwadi Party for fighting the legal battle for Azam Khan in the Supreme Court. Khan had also said earlier that he would be happy if the SP sends Sibal to the Rajya Sabha.

According to the sources, apart from Sibal, the Samajwadi Party may also send Dimple Yadav and Javed Ali Khan to the Rajya Sabha. Javed Ali Khan is considered to be a close aide of Ram Gopal Yadav and this will be his second term in the Upper House.

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