With SP support Kapil Sibal files RS nomination, says he quit Congress on May 16

Lucknow, May 25: Veteran Congress leader and the 'G-23' member Kapil Sibal filed a nomination for the Rajya Sabha as an Independent supported by the Samajwadi Party.

Sibal, whose tenure as Congress Rajya Sabha member ends in July, went to the Uttar Pradesh assembly premises with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and other senior leaders to file his papers.

"I had tendered my resignation from the Congress party on 16th May," said Kapil Sibal after filing a nomination for Rajya Sabha elections, with the support of SP.

"It is important to be an independent voice. While staying in Opposition we want to create an alliance so that we can oppose the Modi govt," Kapil Sibal told reporters.

"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," said Sibal.

Akhilesh Yadav also reacted saying,"today Kapil Sibal filed nomination. He is going to Rajya Sabha with SP's support. Two more people can go to the House. Kapil Sibal is a senior lawyer. He has presented his opinions well in the Parliament. We hope he will present opinions of both SP as well as himself."

Earlier, treports were rife that Sibal may fight the polls for the Upper House on an SP ticket. The Samajwadi Party is confident of winning three seats, of which one may be given to RLD chief Jayant Chaudhury and Sibal.

Sibal shares good rapport with SP leaders, including Akhilesh Yadav and Azam Khan. He recently represented jailed Khan in Supreme Court and helped him secure interim bail.

Sibal, who is representing Khan in the Supreme Court, was elected to the RS on a Congress ticket from Uttar Pradesh with the help of SP in 2016.

Since the Congress, which had fought the latest state election on its own, could manage to win only two seats, it has no chance to send him or any other leader of the party to the upper house of Parliament.

In UP, where the elections to 11 seats is due, the BJP is expected to win seven and the Samajwadi Party three.