Congress, Trinamool slam Kapil Sibal's RS move

Kolkata: Leaders of Congress and West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress, otherwise at loggerheads on almost all issues, on Wednesday adopted the same line of criticism in slamming senior Congress leader and former Union minister for filing nomination for Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh as Independent with the Samajwadi Party's support.

Congress leader in Lok Sabha and party State unit President, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, said that after enjoying so many important posts being with Congress for so many years and holding important portfolios in UPA-I and UPA-II governments, Sibal took such an action out of his greed for a chair in the Rajya Sabha.

"His current term in the Rajya Sabha will end shortly and there is no hope for his re-nomination. So, he made such a decision. Least said about him is better," Adhir said.

While such a reaction from Chowdhury was quite natural, a surprise thrashing of Sibal over this development came from senior Trinamool leader and three-time MP, Saugata Ray, especially at a time when his party and Samajwadi Party are in a honeymoon phase on various issues. "I am quite saddened over this action of Sibal. I am not happy with the news of Sibal switching his political camp. He is one of the leading legal brains of the country. He had enjoyed several key posts in Congress, including important Union ministerial chairs.