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Future Perfect

 Kapil Sibal, veteran Congress leader, former minister and leader of G-23 (so called reformers within the Congress) resigned from the Grand Old Party and will be contesting to the Rajya Sabha as an independent backed by Samajwadi Party (SP). In interview after interview he refused to comment on the reasons for his resignation from the Congress. He had called for internal reforms, including moving away from the Gandhi leadership to revive the party. Sibal claimed that there were no independent voices in the Parliament and that as long as one is with an established political party, they have to toe the party line. His agenda is to voice the issues of the people and bring the political parties together on a single platform for taking on the BJP in the 2024 Parliamentary election. 

Looking at the political career of Kapil Sibal, one cannot but be amazed at the trajectory it has taken. From Rajya Sabha in 1996 to Lok Sabha (2004 & 2009) and finally back to Rajya Sabha (2016). He is due to retire and chances of being nominated by Congress was nil, both because of his outspokenness and the fact that Congress is weakened and cannot send many to Rajya Sabha this time around. SP put up a formidable challenge to the BJP in UP Assembly election 2022 and is in a position to send three members to the Rajya Sabha. They needed a voice to reach out to like-minded parties on the national stage. Also, Kapil Sibal boasts of having represented many of the political parties in the Supreme Court and SP needs someone with a proven track record to defend in present and future cases. But most importantly, Kapil Sibal gives SP legitimacy that it lacks due to the past record and the fact that it is a father-son party confined to UP. 

I am not sure that journalists like Rajdeep Sardesai could not fathom the real reason behind Kapil Sibal jumping ship. He had a great run in the Congress and he needs to think of his political future. Sibal knows that Congress has very little chance of improving its tally in the Lok Sabha and has very little scope even in the states where the party is either in power or is the main opposition. He is great when it comes to putting across his points in an argument but failed to fool everyone with his candid interviews. It is a win-win situation or a zero-risk option strategy for Sibal and SP. Sibal wants to continue in Rajya Sabha for another term of six years and SP is the only party that can and will back him from outside with their votes. It is anybody's guess as to whose bidding Sibal will do in the Rajya Sabha as there is no free lunch. SP is making a big sacrifice and the returns are guaranteed. 

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