In a big jolt for the Congress, Kapil Sibal filed a nomination for the Rajya Sabha election, in the presence of Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, in Lucknow.
It is further indication of the apparent rout of India’s ‘Grand Old Party’ from the Hindi heartland of the country.
Earlier, on Tuesday, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan said, “It is Kapil Sibal’s ‘right’ to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha and it would be an honour for any political party to do so.”
Sibal, who is among the Congress members who have been demanding reforms and accountability from the leadership, is believed to have been on the sidelines in the party since. His Rajya Sabha term ends in July.
In 2016, Sibal was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh as a Congress candidate with the support of the SP. However, with the Congress now reduced to only 2 MLAs in the state, it is not in a position to elect anyone from UP, where 11 Rajya Sabha seats will soon fall vacant.
