After clarification from Rahul, Sibal withdraws collusion with BJP tweet

New Delhi: After raising heckles within party ranks, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Monday said he was informed by former party chief Rahul Gandhi 'personally' that he never said what was attributed to him.

"Was informed by Rahul Gandhi personally that he never said what was attributed to him. I therefore withdraw my tweet," Sibal said on Twitter.

Earlier, taking to Twitter, Sibal said that he has never made a statement in favour of BJP on any issue and yet Rahul Gandhi said that "we are colluding with BJP".

"Rahul Gandhi says 'we are colluding with BJP'. Succeeded in Rajasthan High Court defending the Congress Party Defending party in Manipur to bring down BJP Govt. Last 30 years have never made a statement in favour of BJP on any issue Yet 'we are colluding with the BJP'!" Sibal tweeted.

Minutes after Kapil Sibal expressed concerns over reported "colluding with BJP" remarks by Rahul Gandhi, party leader Randeep Singh Surjewala clarified that the former Congress chief has not said a word of this nature, nor alluded to it and asked the former Cabinet Minister not to be misled.

"Sh. Rahul Gandhi hasn't said a word of this nature nor alluded to it.Pl don't be mislead by false media discourse or misinformation being spread.But yes, we all need to work together in fighting the draconian Modi rule rather then fighting &



hurting each other & the Congress," Surjewala tweeted while quoting a tweet by senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal.

A crucial meeting of the CWC is being held today after a controversy erupted over a letter by more than 20 senior leaders calling for 'full time' active leadership, sweeping reforms and raising questions about the party's condition and direction, as well as demanding the election of the CWC.

Manmohan Singh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Amarinder Singh, Mallikarjun Kharge, PL Punia, KC Venugopal and AK Antony among others are present at the virtual meeting.

Sibal is among the 23 party leaders who have written to Sonia Gandhi seeking "full-time" leadership that is active in the field and "visible" in party offices, dissolution of powers to state units and revamping the Congress Working Committee (CWC) in line with the party constitution among other changes.

As the CWC meeting was underway on Monday and it was reported that Rahul Gandhi had lashed out at the letter writers.

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said he will resign if Rahul Gandhi's "collusion with BJP" remark can be proven, sources said.

Azad, who is one of the signatories read out the contents of the letter, saying the leaders are not questioning Sonia Gandhi and only wanted organisational reform in the larger interest of the party.