CWC members unanimously urge Rahul Gandhi to take on Leader of Opposition role

CWC members unanimously urge Rahul Gandhi to take on Leader of Opposition role

New Delhi: Congress Working Committee members on Saturday unanimously urged Rahul Gandhi to take the role of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, as it also credited his two Bharat Jodo Yatras for the party’s performance in the general elections.

At a press conference following a meeting of the extended Congress Working Committee (CWC), party general secretary KC Venugopal said CWC members unanimously requested Gandhi to take the Leader of Opposition role.

“Rahul Gandhi said he would take a decision on it very soon,” Venugopal said.

This will be the first time that the Congress, since its ouster from power in 2014, will get the post of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. It failed to get the position in the past 10 years as its tally was below the requisite 10 per cent of total seats in the House, both in 2014 and 2019.

Venugopal also said the party’s leaders and workers are charged up and asserted that the CWC sentiment is that the Congress’ revival has begun.

The CWC adopted two resolutions, one hailing the role 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 credited the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatras for its good performance.

The CWC resolution also said the people’s verdict was not just a political loss but a personal and moral defeat for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had sought a mandate in his name. The Congress has emerged as the second-largest party in the Lok Sabha, improving its tally to 99 from 52 in the 2019 elections.