The Congress on Friday dismissed suggestions that formation of NR Congress in Puducherry and YSR Congress in Andhra Pradesh would have an adverse impact on the party.
“It is for the Election Commission to deal with them, “ party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters.
In poll-bound Puducherry, a sulking former chief minister N. Rengaswamy has recently floated a new political party, NR Congress. Although the AIADMK had held preliminary talks with Mr Rengaswamy recently in a bid to bring him into its front, he continues to be non-committal.
In Andhra Pradesh, Mr Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, son of the late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, has resigned from the Congress and is likely to float YSR Congress.
The Congress also declined comment on the Supreme Court remarks that “no government wants strong judiciary,” saying the party would not like to speak on an observation made inside the court.
“I am not going to join the issue on a comment made in a court not outside in a seminar or function but during court proceedings,” Mr Singhvi told reporters in reply to a question here.
Asked about his appearing on behalf of expelled Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh in the phone-tapping case, Mr Singhvi sought to delink it from politics saying he was doing it in his professional capacity and there was no point in “speculating” on it.
Mr Singhvi was asked whether the Congress had no problem with his appearing for the former SP leader or whether Mr Amar Singh is now coming closer to the Congress.
The Congress steered clear of media reports linking agriculture minister Sharad Pawar to DB Realty’s managing director Shahid Usman Balwa, who has been arrested by the CBI in connection with the 2G spectrum scam.
“I do not think a word like clarification befits this. You should ask this question to him (Pawar),” Mr Singhvi told reporters when asked whether the party would like to clarify on the reports.
Mr Pawar has already rubbished reports that Balwa had stakes in the Dynamix Dairy Industries Limited at Baramati.