Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been appointed the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, marking a significant moment for both Gandhi and his party.
Congress MP K.C. Venugopal confirmed the appointment, stating that Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi had officially informed Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab of Rahul Gandhi's new role.
Rahul Gandhi thus becomes the third member of the Gandhi family to hold the post, following in the footsteps of his parents, Sonia and Rajiv Gandhi.
This appointment comes after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) passed a resolution on June 9th to appoint Rahul Gandhi as the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha. Initially, Gandhi had expressed a need for time to consider the decision.
With Gandhi's appointment, Congress reclaims the coveted position of Leader of Opposition, a reflection of the party's improved performance in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. Congress nearly doubled its seat count, rising from 52 in 2019 to 99 in 2024. This marked a significant improvement over the party's dismal performance in 2014, when it won only 44 seats.
Despite being the second-largest party in Parliament after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in both 2014 and 2019, Congress previously fell short of the criteria required to claim the post of Leader of the Opposition. The rule stipulates that a party must hold at least 10% of the seats to qualify.
The appointment of Rahul Gandhi as Leader of Opposition is a testament to the Congress party's resurgence and its commitment to providing robust opposition to the ruling BJP.
