Didn't know of Congress petition in Calcutta HC: Singhvi

As the Congress's West Bengal unit protested at his representing the West Bengal government at the Supreme Court on BJP's petition, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi defended himself, saying he did not know of the party's Congress petition being filed against the state government in Calcutta High Court on the same day as the BJP's.

Singhvi had represented the state government and had opposed the BJP's petition to deploy central paramilitary forces in the West Bengal panchayat elections.

"As I pointed out, I appeared for West Bengal in Supreme Court in petition filed by the BJP.

"I was appearing against BJP. Congress is not party in the SC petition. Unknown to anyone, unknown to me, the Congress petition was moved same day in Calcutta High Court," Singhvi told IANS.

"I discovered it while arguing in the SC, when BJP's counsel pointed it out. No one knew of Congress petition in HC on the same day as the BJP's petition in SC," he added.

Singhvi had won a Rajya Sabha seat from West Bengal recently with the Trinamool's support.

The Supreme Court on Friday reserved its order on a BJP's plea seeking that its candidate for the West Bengal panchayat elections be allowed to file their nomination papers and re-scheduling of the election.

--IANS

sid/vd