Sonia CPP Chairperson, Rahul Leader of the Opposition

way2barak, June 9: The Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Saturday unanimously favoured Rahul Gandhi becoming leader of the Opposition (LOP) in the Lok Sabha, a post that has remained vacant for the past decade as no party had the necessary numbers.

According to the AICC general secretary in charge of the organisation, K.C. Venugopal, Rahul has sought time to consider the CWC resolution urging him to become the LOP, a post that will pin him down in Parliament during sessions.

Rahul has led the Congress charge in some Lok Sabha debates and has often taken on Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly in the House, but he has not been very regular in attending proceedings.

While the Congress will get the LOP status by virtue of having (at least) 10 per cent of the total strength of the Lok Sabha, the person in the office will also have to carry the rest of the Opposition along in the Lower House.

The incumbent will also get to be on various committees that will select the heads of institutions such as the Lokpal, CBI, Central Vigilance Commission and the Central Information Commission.

Later in the evening, Sonia Gandhi was re-elected Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson. Addressing the CPP, she made a strong case for ensuring that Parliament is not bulldozed by the Modi government, and bringing parliamentary politics back on track.

“We have a special obligation to be watchful, vigilant and proactive in holding him and his new NDA government accountable. No longer can and should Parliament be bulldozed like it has been for a decade now,” she said.

“No longer will the writ of the ruling establishment be permitted to disrupt Parliament, whimsically mistreat members or push through legislation without due and proper consideration and debate. No longer can and should parliamentary committees be ignored or bypassed like they have been since 2014. No longer will Parliament be muzzled and stifled as it has been over the past ten years.”

Like the CWC, Sonia’s address too acknowledged the role of the INDIA bloc behind the election results.

“In this election, the people have voted decisively to reject the politics of divisiveness and authoritarianism. They have voted to strengthen parliamentary politics and safeguard our Constitution. They have voted for the agenda of economic and social justice,” she said.

The CPP meeting in Parliament House followed the extended CWC session in the morning at Hotel Ashok. Besides the resolution for making Rahul the LOP, the CWC adopted another that summed up the party leadership’s assessment of the elections.

“This meeting of the CWC congratulates the people of our country for voting so powerfully to preserve our democracy, protect the republic’s Constitution and enhance social and economic justice,” it said.

“They have decisively rejected both the substance and style of governance over the past decade. The verdict of the people is not just a political loss but a personal and moral defeat for the Prime Minister who sought the mandate in his name and ran a campaign anchored in lies, hate, prejudice, divisiveness and extreme bigotry. The verdict of the people is clearly against the undermining of democracy and democratic institutions that has taken place since 2014.”

Stating that the people had placed the party on the path to revival, the CWC decided to look at what had gone wrong in the states where the Congress had fared poorly.

The CWC resolution lauded the role of the three Gandhis — Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka — besides party president Mallikarjun Kharge in scripting the comeback.

About Kharge, it said: “The sheer energy and determination of Congress president Mallikarjun Khargeji was an inspiration to everyone in the party. He was bold and fearless both in Parliament and outside.”

While Sonia was lauded for her guidance and interventions, Priyanka’s campaign was described as “nothing short of being brilliant”.