Twist in Herald case deepens bitterness between govt and Congress amidst GST talks

NEW DELHI: After the Delhi high court dismissed Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi’s plea for exemption from personal appearances in the National Herald case, there were clear signs of the political bitterness in the relation between the government and Congress establishment intensifying.

There were signs of a thaw in the relationship when Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh to discuss GST on November 27.

The AICC has alleged BJP’s "political vendetta" behind the case and lashed out at the "dirty tricks department" of the ruling party. "Congress won’t like to link the development in the high court to the GST bill negotiations. But, Monday’s development has clearly vitiated the atmosphere," a senior Congress leader said when asked whether the court order will have a bearing on the talks on GST and Parliament functioning.

Sonia Gandhi had led a Congress solidarity show to the residence of Manmohan Singh’s in March when he was summoned by a court in a coal allotment case. Some senior Congress leaders are floating the idea of a re-play: A CWC meeting followed by a solidarity show around the Gandhis. While Gandhis’ lawyers expressed optimism about securing relief from the apex court, the political wing has a contingency plan in case the top two have to appear in the lower court on Tuesday.

The Congress establishment is peeved over a series of legal cases and investigations involving sensitive targets closer home. On Monday, reports said a commission set up by the Haryanna government was planning to summon Gandhi’s son-inlaw Robert Vadra in a land deal case.

The AICC has also been crying vendetta after raids on firms linked to P Chidambram’s son, ED case against Himachal CM Virbhadra Singh and another case against Gujrat leader Shankarsinh Vaghela.

After the Delhi HC order, hushed talks among leaders in Parliament were on whether the Congress establishment would be under political pressure or whether these were signs of the ruling establishment turning lesser optimistic about a GST break-through. If Monday witnessed Rahul Gandhi leading a Congress dharna in front of Parliament House over the ‘VK Singh issue,’ many expect more action on Tuesday.