Kapil Sibal’s entry raises eyebrows: INDIA meet sidelines

Ex-Congress leader Kapil Sibal’s surprise entry in the INDIA meeting left many within the Congress confused and uncomfortable. Sibal last year quit the Congress and filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections as an Independent candidate supported by the Samajwadi Party. Sources said that Congress leader KC Venugopal complained about it to Uddhav Thackeray after which National Conference’s Omar Abdullah and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav had to intervene.

Message for those on the wrong path

NCP president Sharad Pawar had a veiled message for his rebel nephew and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar who has chosen to join hands with the BJP. Pawar, while addressing the press conference of INDIA front in Mumbai, said he promised to not follow the ‘wrong’ path. “We will bring those who are on the wrong path to the right ones. If they don’t, we will unitedly keep them aside. We will do whatever it takes to do so,” Pawar said.

Special invitee

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan was a special invitee in the INDIA meeting on Friday. Four delegates from the Congress, namely, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and KC Venugopal attended the 28-party meeting initially. Chavan, who was recently inducted into the Congress Working Committee and was the main organiser of this meeting from the Congress was called to attend the meeting within a few minutes. Party’s state unit president Nana Patole too was included in the meeting after the lunch break.

Vow to liberate the media

Major opposition leaders in the press conference made it a point to target media houses, claiming they are being controlled by the ruling side. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and president Mallikarjun Kharge said victory of INDIA in upcoming elections would also mean unchaining of media houses from the pressures being imparted on them by ruling BJP.