The National Herald case seems to have has rattled many nerves in the Congress. According to a report in The Indian Express, senior party leaders were in a meeting until 3.00 am on Tuesday to decide on a course of action. Clearly a strategy was chosen.
On Tuesday, Parliament was rendered useless, with a defiant Sonia Gandhi saying “Main Indiraji ki bahu hoon aur kisi se nahin darti hoon” (I am Indira Gandhi’s daughter-in-law and I am not afraid of anyone), in reference to her impending court date for alleged corrupt practices in the National Herald case. The Congress even went so far as to call the case a “political vendetta”.
Party leaders were debating whether to file another appeal in the Supreme Court after the Delhi High Court said that Sonia and Rahul Gandhi must appear before a lower court in the case. Instead of challenging the case only on legal grounds, which was the initial strategy, the Congress has decided to make it a political fight and go on the offensive against the BJP.
Sonia was clear that it was a political battle which has to be fought politically. She said she and Rahul were ready to appear before the court.Congress sources, to The Indian Express