Rahul Gandhi Requested to Become Leader of Opposition by Congress Working Committee
News Mania Desk/ Agnibeena Ghosh/8th June 2024
On Saturday, Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal announced that the extended Congress Working Committee (CWC) had unanimously passed a resolution urging Rahul Gandhi to take up the position of Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha. The resolution came in the wake of the recent Lok Sabha results, which Venugopal hailed as the beginning of the Congress party’s revival.
Venugopal remarked that the atmosphere in the CWC meeting was markedly different from what it was four months ago. He highlighted that despite several attempts to undermine the Congress, the party had remained resilient. “The BJP has only one agenda: to divide the people. However, the Congress and the INDIA alliance have stood firmly with our narrative and guarantees. Our leaders and workers are charged up; the revival of Congress has begun,” he stated.
During the three-hour-long discussion, the Lok Sabha results were scrutinized in detail. Venugopal noted that the resolution calling for Rahul Gandhi to assume the LoP role was passed unanimously. He emphasized that the issues raised during the elections, such as unemployment, price rise, women’s equality, and social justice, needed to be addressed more forcefully in Parliament. “Rahul is the best person to lead this campaign inside Parliament,” Venugopal asserted.
He further elaborated that for a “better, stronger, and more vigilant opposition,” those who wish to protect the Constitution should feel secure under Rahul’s leadership. When questioned about Rahul’s response to the CWC’s request, Venugopal indicated that Rahul had acknowledged the committee’s sentiments and promised to make a decision soon.
Venugopal was also asked about which parliamentary seat—Rae Bareli or Wayanad—Rahul Gandhi would retain. He responded that a decision would be made before June 17 and expected within three to four days. Regarding JDU leader KC Tyagi’s claim that Nitish Kumar was offered the Prime Minister’s position by the INDIA alliance, Venugopal dismissed it, saying, “We don’t have any such information.”
After the CWC meeting, Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring echoed the sentiment, stating, “We all have appealed to Rahul Gandhi to become the LoP. He is the only person who can face the Prime Minister. And when Rahul Gandhi stands up, the youth of the country will feel safe.”
This united call for Rahul Gandhi to take on a leadership role in the Lok Sabha reflects the party’s confidence in his ability to steer their agenda in Parliament. His potential acceptance of the position could significantly impact the dynamics of parliamentary debates and opposition strategies moving forward.
