NEW DELHI: The Congress MP from Rae Bareli was appointed as the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the 18th Lok Sabha last Wednesday after a meeting with key INDIA bloc leaders who according to reports unanimously consented to the decision. The announcement was made by Congress general secretary KC Venugopal who said the Congress Working Committee (CWC) had unanimously favoured Rahul as LoP in the Lok Sabha, he also said that the decision on other office bearers will be decided later. Rahul, who contested from two seats, has given up Wayanad that his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will contest.  

This will also be the first time that the Lower House will get a Leader of the Opposition (LoP) after 10 years as no single party in the opposition had the necessary numbers required for this post.  The Congress party, despite being the second-largest in the Lok Sabha during the 2014 and 2019 elections, had been unable to claim the LoP position as the party had less than 10 per cent of the total seats in the Lower House, falling short of the required threshold as per rules according to which in the 543-member Lok Sabha, an Opposition party must secure at least 55 seats to be eligible for the LoP post. With this recent change, the Congress has finally met the necessary criteria, paving the way for Rahul Gandhi to assume this key position. 

The role of LoP, though not enshrined in the Constitution, will nevertheless bestow upon Rahul Gandhi certain significant powers, including having a say in the appointment of bureaucrats to important positions. As the LoP, Rahul Gandhi will now be accorded the status of a Cabinet minister. This will also enhance his position in the protocol list. He will also be a member of important panels on key appointments such as the Lokpal, chief election commissioner and election commissioners, Central Bureau of Investigation etc.