Members of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Saturday unanimously urged Rahul Gandhi to assume the role of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. They also acknowledged his significant contribution to the party’s performance in the general elections, crediting his leadership during the two Bharat Jodo Yatras.
At a press conference following the meeting of the extended CWC, party general secretary KC Venugopal said CWC members unanimously requested Gandhi to take the Leader of Opposition role.
“In today’s Extended Congress Working Committee meeting, we had a thorough discussion on various issues such as campaigning and guarantee schemes. Despite our accounts being frozen and our leaders being blackmailed, we performed wonderfully in the parliamentary elections,” he said.
“The CWC unanimously requested Rahul Gandhi to take the position of the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. During the elections, we raised several important issues such as unemployment, inflation, women’s issues, and social justice. These issues now need to be addressed more effectively inside Parliament. Rahul Gandhi is the best person to lead this campaign in Parliament,” Veugopal added.
For the first time since its removal from power in 2014, the Congress party is poised to secure the post of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. This achievement marks a significant departure from the past ten years, during which the party failed to attain the position due to its seat tally falling below the requisite 10% of total seats in the House, both in 2014 and 2019.
The Congress Working Committee (CWC) adopted two resolutions, one commending the efforts of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for the party’s performance in the Lok Sabha polls. It also recognized the positive impact of the Bharat Jodo Yatras led by Rahul Gandhi.
Moreover, the CWC resolution emphasized that the electoral outcome was not merely a political setback but also a personal and ethical defeat for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had sought a mandate in his own name.
KC Venugopal said, “The atmosphere in the CWC is entirely different from four months ago. From the leaders to the workers, we are all energized. There were several attempts to finish Congress, but we stood strong. The BJP has only one agenda: to divide the people. However, the Congress party and the INDIA alliance have stood firmly with our narrative and guarantees.”
The Congress has emerged as the second-largest party in the Lok Sabha, improving its tally to 99 from 52 in the 2019 elections.