Press Briefing Friday, 15 May 2009

Shri Kapil Sibal addressed the media today.


Shri Kapil Sibal said that by tomorrow the world would witness the largest electoral exercise. He added that it was a great feat that the Election Commission had passed with flying colours. Shri Kapil Sibal said that one must congratulate the people of India for having participated in this democratic exercise. He said that the verdict of the people would be a wise one and would reflect the complexity of the Indian State and the enormous challenges that have to be met by the future government.

Shri Kapil Sibal thanked the press on behalf of the Indian National Congress for playing their role effectively. Shri Kapil Sibal said that the Congress party believed that the main issues confronting this country were issues relating to poverty, access to water, access to shelter, sanitation and basic infrastructure. He said that the Congress party wanted to have a debate on the future of India and its youth but were disappointed that some opposition parties raised issues which had no relevance with the future or with India. Yet Shri Kapil Sibal thanked all the political parties for having participated in the electoral process and further added that the Congress party would abide by the verdict of the people and was sure that the verdict would be wise and would reflect the reality of India.

Shri Kapil Sibal said that after 5 PM on 13th of May one witnessed some exit polls in the print and electronic media and started discussing the various possibilities that the UPA and NDA would explore. Shri Kapil Sibal said that without looking at the results tomorrow, it would not be appropriate to offer any comments in this regard. He further added that speculating in this regard would not be a wise move. Shri Kapil Sibal said that the Congress party was happy to the extent that some exit polls believed that the Congress party and the UPA was forging ahead. He said that the Congress party believed, on the basis of its own estimates, that it was surging ahead and that it would emerge as the largest formation. What shape that government would take would be decided when the exact numbers are revealed by the EVMs tomorrow.

To a question on what message the Congress party had for the Left parties, Shri Kapil Sibal said that there was no Third Front. The Third Front before the polls was only an idea and after the polls it would not be a reality. The Left parties would be perhaps left with smaller numbers than the 2004 results and what maneuvering they would be able to do contextually was yet to be seen he added.

To a question that the Congress party had gone from “Jai Ho” to ‘Jaya Ho’, Shri Kapil Sibal that the media was merely speculating. He added that if the NDTV exit polls had any basis then the DMK was doing very well. So he did not know whether “Jai Ho” was “Jaya Ho” or not.

To a question on Rajnath Singh meeting Amar Singh, Shri Kapil Sibal said that the Congress party could not stop others from meeting anybody.

To a question on Nitish Kumar talking about a Bihar package, Shri Kapil Sibal said that while this was fine, it must not be forgotten that the Congress Party had given huge funds to Bihar in the Backward States Fund and added that this was not an issue to be raised just before the election results were out.

To a question on Shri Digvijay Singh making a statement that the Congress party was ready to accept Nitish Kumar’s demand for a Special Status for Bihar, Shri Kapil Sibal said that Digvijay Singh had been misquoted and the statement being attributed to Digvijay Singh was not correct and so he could not respond to it.

To a question on whether the Congress party would dump Shri Lalu Prasad Yadav for Nitish Kumar, Shri Kapil Sibal said that there was no question of dumping anybody and added that the Congress party was firmly with its allies.

Shri Kapil Sibal said that the question of secular credentials of a party would only be decided after the results were declared because only then would the parties make their positions clear on whether they would support the communal NDA or refrain from doing so. He reminded that by the virtue of not being with the NDA there were 3 secular formations in this country and the NDA could not even be in the reckoning for being called secular.

To another question whether the Congress party was talking with the Biju Janata Dal in Orissa, Shri Kapil Sibal said that he did not have any such information.







(Tom Vadakkan)

Secretary, AICC