Ex-Congress chief Kapil Sibal reaches I.N.D.I.A. bloc meet ‘uninvited’, angers ex-colleagues

On Friday, September 1, the leaders of the opposition’s I.N.D.I.A. bloc gathered in Mumbai’s Hyatt Hotel on the second day of the two-day mega assembly, but it surely turned out to be nothing lower than an exciting Bollywood drama film. According to stories, former Congress supporter Kapil Sibal confirmed up on the assembly ‘uninvited’, attracting the wrath of his ex-colleagues current there.

A video from the Grand Hyatt, Mumbai the place leaders of the so-called alliance gathered forward of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc assembly, confirmed senior Congress chief KC Venugopal complaining about Sibal’s presence to ex-Maharashtra minister Uddhav Thackeray earlier than a photograph op of opposition leaders. Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena UBT is internet hosting the INDIA bloc assembly.

Visuals of Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal, NCP working president Supriya Sule, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Sanjay Raut at Grand Hyatt, Mumbai forward of the INDIA alliance assembly. pic.twitter.com/vNIZshXMlz

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 1, 2023

As will be seen within the video shared by information company PTI, as quickly as Kapil Sibal enters the premises, he’s greeted by NCP working president Supriya Sule. Right at that second, somebody from the background will be heard calling out to the safety personnel in an irate tone. Further, the identical voice will be heard saying, “Isko bhagao yaar” (somebody shoo him away).

Just then, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Sanjay Raut are seen speaking to Congress chief KC Venugopal. Although they aren’t audible within the video, it’s clear from their physique language that the opposite two Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders try to calm Venugopal down whereas he’s complaining to them about Sibal’s surprising look.

Reportedly, Farooq Abdullah, the chairman of the National Conference, and Akhilesh Yadav, the chief of the Samajwadi Party, tried to step in and persuade Venugopal to permit Sibal to attend a gathering meant to deliver collectively all opposition figures forward of the 2024 Lok Sabha election that can happen subsequent yr.

Rahul Gandhi, in the meantime, expressed no objection to Kapil Sibal’s presence within the assembly.

Meanwhile, India Today shared a video of a photograph op, the place Kapil Sibal was seen posing on the dias with different leaders of the so-called alliance. However, he was seen positioned immediately throughout from Congress bigwigs Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge.

Notably, Kapil Sibal give up the Congress to hitch the Samajwadi Party in May final yr. While submitting the Rajya Sabha nomination within the presence of SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav, Sibal mentioned that he had resigned from the Congress get together on May 16.

Sibal had reportedly developed shut relationships with many SP leaders, together with Akhilesh Yadav and Azam Khan. He not too long ago represented jailed Khan within the Supreme Court and helped him safe interim bail. He additionally helped Akhilesh Yadav retain the get together’s bicycle image within the yr 2017. On May 20, as Khan was launched on interim bail from Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur jail, he had mentioned that Sibal had executed an enormous factor by securing bail and that he had no capability to pay him the charges. 

Tensions between Kapil Sibal and the Congress Party

It is essential to notice that there have been escalating tensions between the previous Congress chief and the get together. He had been vocal towards the insurance policies and ideas adopted by the Gandhi household for the Congress get together. On September 29, 2021, Congress get together members staged a protest towards him for criticising the get together management over varied points together with the dealing with of the inner battle within the get together in Punjab. The get together employees had accused him of allying with BJP for his statements towards the Gandhi household.

Sibal had additionally said that the G-23 group inside the Congress get together was not Ji Huzoor 23. Criticising the delay in appointing a full-time get together president, Sibal had mentioned, “In our party, there is no president. So we don’t know who is making these decisions. We know and yet we don’t know.”

Also, final yr on March 15, after dropping the hope of revival, the senior chief demanded to offer management of the Congress get together to somebody apart from Gandhis. He had mentioned that the get together was ‘sab ki Congress’ and never solely ‘Ghar ki Congress’. Sibal had additional mentioned that there was no decentralization of the facility in Congress. “They don’t have direct contact with them. In this power structure, therefore, the organization is bereft of any vision,” he had mentioned. The senior chief subsequently give up the get together on May 16, 2022.

However, earlier than the fallout, Kapil Sibal was thought-about to be a staunch loyalist of the Gandhi scions. He has, in actual fact, represented Rahul and Sonia Gandhi and the Congress in varied authorized battles. Since he had been in Congress for a very long time and had dealt with many essential ministries within the earlier UPA governments.