The Congress, which won 99 seats alone, is now entitled to the post of leader of the opposition in Parliament. Pressure is now mounting on Rahul Gandhi, who has so far been silent, to take up this role after a competent performance in the Lok Sabha elections.
In the previous parliament, this could not happen because the grand old party did not have the required numbers. This is why Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was only the leader of the Congress but not leader of the opposition (LOP), which is a cabinet-rank post and is involved in critical decisions like being part of the panel to choose the chiefs of the Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation.
Much of the credit to the performance by the Congress has gone to Gandhi, and this is the reason why the party and the INDIA bloc is keen on him taking up this post. Senior leader Manickam Tagore, in a post early on Thursday, said: “I sought votes in the name of my leader, Rahul Gandhi. I think he should be the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha.”
Similar is the demand from many others as well. As LoP, Gandhi can directly take on the prime minister. Congress leaders feel, since the 2024 general elections were a Modi versus Rahul contest, there is no harm in extending that to the Lok Sabha.
The party is in the mood to go into a head-to-head with the PM, as they feel that with fewer seats than before, he and the BJP are vulnerable. Earlier, it was easier to ride over the Congress, but it is not the case this time. Also, the INDIA bloc allies like the Samajwadi Party and Trinamool Congress will be more generous to the Congress and, as LoP, Gandhi can be more acceptable to them.
But, the issue is that last time, when there was a similar clamour, Gandhi had refused to be LoP. Some of his close aides agreed with him, saying a weak Congress should not have him as the leader of the party. But, those who know him also say it may be unlikely that he agrees to be LoP.
“He doesn’t need this post to raise his voice against the government or question the PM,” they said.
But, the party thinks otherwise despite clarity that he does not desire this post. The party feels that this is the best opportunity to show that he has been anointed as the contender and disruptor.
Congress Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha said some decisions have to be taken by the party. He said Gandhi led the party’s poll campaign from the front and is “duty-bound” to take on the mantle of the Lok Sabha parliamentary party leadership.
“Rahul ji led the campaign frontally. He was the face. He is duty bound to take on the mantle of Lok Sabha parliamentary party leadership. @RahulGandhi cannot take all decisions about himself. Some decisions the party leaders/MPs have to take. Surely (it) will be a unanimous choice,” he said in a post on X.
Tankha further said he wants to see Gandhi as the LoP and wants no debate on it. “I want to see RG as LOP, there is no debate about it. He was the face of the campaign and he should lead the opposition in the house,” he added.
On whether Akhilesh Yadav deserves a prominent post since he registered a stellar performance in Uttar Pradesh, Tankha said: “Akhilesh did remarkably well, I am not someone to comment what post they will get but I want to say not just Akhilesh but entire INDIA alliance did really well, from Stalin ji to Mamata, to Sharad Pawar, Thackeray all performed really well this election.”
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut also echoed the same sentiment about Gandhi. “In parliament, too, Rahul Gandhi should lead the opposition.”
