Congress & Sonia Gandhi's solidarity march for Manmohan Singh

Senior leaders including Chidambaram, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ahmed Patel were led by Sonia Gandhi in the march

In a show of solidarity, Congress President Sonia Gandhi (pictured) led a march of Congress Working Committee members — the highest decision making body of the party — and members of Parliament (MPs) to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s residence on Thursday. The party had rallied around Singh on Wednesday itself, after summons were issued by a special court in the coal allocation case. However, Thursday’s move was strategic, as it came amid aspersions being cast on Singh and the Congress by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The Congress plans to move the Supreme Court against the summons. According to insiders, Singh will be represented by legal eagles from the Congress fold, former Union minister Kapil Sibal and nominated Rajya Sabha member K T S Tulsi.

“I was outraged at the news that summons had been served to Manmohan Singh,” Gandhi told reporters on Thursday.

A galaxy of leaders including former finance minister P Chidambaram, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ahmed Patel and Mallikarjun Kharge were led by Gandhi in the march from the Congress headquarters — 24, Akbar Road — to Singh’s residence on Motilal Nehru Marg.

The objective of the rally was to quell the notion that the Congress had been tepid in its defence of the former PM. Despite keeping poor health, Gandhi’s decision to go on an unprecedented march was also to dispel any perception that Singh was fighting a lone battle.

On Wednesday, Singh had told reporters he was ‘upset’ with the summons.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Gandhi said: “We are here to offer our unstinted support and solidarity. Manmohan Singhji is a former PM. He is known not only in our country but all over the world. He's a man of integrity.”

Reacting to the development, the BJP said Singh was “paying the price for Congress’ wrongdoing”. Party spokespersons also clarified that the BJP had no role in the summons, which was a legal matter in the courts. Singh thanked the Congress for its show of support.