Note ban to boomerang on BJP in polls: Sibal

The demonetisaton move was aimed at giving leverage to BJP in the upcoming Assembly elections but it is set to boomerang on the saffron party because of its ill-planning, Congress leader Kapil Sibal said today.
"The problems caused to the common people because of demonetisation will result in political advantage to Congress... The move is set to boomerang on BJP at the hustings," he told PTI.
"If we take only Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls into consideration, it is set to increase the vote bank of Congress," Sibal said and claimed that there was no doubt that the move was not economic but political in view of the coming Assembly polls, especially in UP.

The senior Congress leader said the move was taken in haste and barring "four" individuals, everyone else including the finance minister was kept in the dark and this is the reason why it has resulted in chaos.
Questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi's aim of curbing black money and promoting e-transactions, Sibal, a former Union minister, said it is not possible in a country like India without a steep hike in its per capita income.
Sibal noted that till there is dialogue over important

issues like this and institutions are not allowed to function, wrong decisions are bound to be taken and claimed that this has been Modi's style of working all along.

"While taking this decision, it was not thought as to how the common people especially farmers, labourers, retailers and wholesalers will make their ends meet," he said.
"If he is so keen on curbing black money, why are the names of people having foreign accounts not being revealed," he said.
He also claimed that it was a known fact that it was BJP, among all the political parties, which makes "maximum transactions in cash".
"Do they make payments in cheques in their shakhas?" he asked.
He alleged that the "anti-people" decisions of the Modi government have created a terror-like atmosphere in which even his own ministers are not able to talk to him and added that efforts to control the media will go against BJP.

On his party's prospects in the upcoming UP polls, Sibal said Congress will play a relevant role in next government's formation.
To a question on BSP and Samajwadi Party going all out to woo Muslims, the veteran Congress leader said seeking votes in the name of community and caste was not correct.
"Whether it is Hindus or Muslims, it is not correct to seek votes in the name of community...It is right that secular forces need to unite for keeping the communal parties at bay," he said.
Asked if there will be a grand alliance like Bihar in Uttar Pradesh, Sibal said the situation in the state is different.