Kapil Sibal meets Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow, files Rajya Sabha nomination on SP ticket

In a sensational political development, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Wednesday filed nomination for Rajya Sabha election, in the presence of Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav. Earlier today, the two leaders met in Lucknow sparking speculations of Sibal jumping ship.

Kapil Sibal quits Congress, says 'want to be an independent voice'

Speaking to reporters after filing the nomination, Sibal said he had resigned from Congress on May 16. "I have resigned from Congress. It is important to be an independent voice in parliament. If an independent voice speaks up then people will believe it is not from any political party. I will continue to point out Modi Government's drawbacks," he stated.

Minutes later, Akhilesh Yadav confirmed to the media that Kapil Sibal has filed his nomination for Rajya Sabha with Samajwadi Party support. 

"Sibal is an eminent lawyer and has a political career. He had effectively put and discussed important issues in Lok Sabha, and Rajya Sabha. The country has many issues facing it and I hope that he will effectively put issues in the Rajya Sabha,” Yadav said. 

Notably, in his last term too, Sibal was elected from Uttar Pradesh with the support of the Samajwadi Party. Sibal, completing his term in Rajya Sabha in July, shares warm relationship with many SP leaders including Akhilesh Yadav and Azam Khan.

Sibal had represented SP leader Azam Khan in the Supreme Court and helped him secure interim bail after two years in prison. He also helped Akhilesh Yadav retain his party’s bicycle symbol in 2017 when the Yadavs were locked in an intense family feud.

Thus reciprocating for the help Sibal extended in legal battle, Samajwadi Party has helped the former Congress leader in retaining the Rajya Sabha seat. However, both Akhilesh Yadav and Kapil Sibal indicated that he has not joined the Samajwadi Party. 

Sibal, one of the senior most leaders in the Congress, had been part of the "G-23" group of Congress dissenters who had called for a complete overhaul of the party's leadership and organization. He had also been vocal critic of the Gandhis' leadership in recent weeks. Notably, in the recent meetings of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), many party loyalists had called for the sacking of Kapil Sibal over 'anti-party' activities.