Congress' Kapil Sibal talks about free spirit, coalitions, young voters, poetry, Antarctica, Slumdog and cooking a Chinese meal

Beyond the sliding ply door, Delhi's political town fairu00a0jugglers, fire-eaters, the worksu00a0in is free swing. Kapil Sibal's residence-cum-office at 19 Teen Murti Marg, its Lutyen lawn, is a smudge of people on Monday, all with a busy eye on the elections.

In the drawing room of one of Congress' more articulate leaders hang a couple of Souzas. Husain takes a prominent corner. Sibal the feisty lawyer is fighting in court to end the artist's exile forced by right-wing mobs.
The noise outside the door thickens. Not a good time for a relaxed chat.

What's your gut feel this election?
Congress is going into this election on the basis of its performance. But the Indian electoral system is exceptionally complex. Though you may have a national mood, there are always local factors, regional issues. Sometimes people get swayed. It is very difficult to prognosticate. But there is a good-feel factor.