Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi may not seek bail in National Herald case

“Some veterans in the party have advised Sonia ji and Rahul ji to refrain from applying for a bail in the National Herald case and instead go to jail to garner public sympathy”, said a Congress leader pleading anonymity. A senior party leader said the Youth Congress wants to amass workers but the high command is circumspect, since it is a court matter and the party should not be seen as challenging the court.

Along with this, sources close to the development said that the party was planning to put up a show of strength on Saturday at the trial court where both Sonia and Rahul are due to appear.

Under normal procedure, once an accused is summoned, he/she has to appear before it and seek bail, that the court may grant.

The case, filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, accuses the Gandhis and four others of forming a company with the intention of acquiring property belonging to the now defunct newspaper National Herald that was founded by Jawaharlal Nehru. “We can not share our strategy”.

Several senior party leaders will accompany the Gandhis to court as a mark of solidarity. “I can not speak on it”.

“But here is a catch – the present government is a single party government headed by a strong leader who is honest to the core”.

Rahul Gandhi today at Jantar Mantar joined protests led by West Bengal Congress Chief Adiranjan Choudhary against the death of tea workers in Bengal.

In less than 72 hours, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi will stand before a magistrate for the first time in their lives. “I appeal to the CM not to use satra institutions for petty political gains”, said Janardan Dev Goswami, head of Uttar Kamalabari Satra.