Rahul Gandhi Becomes Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha
Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP from Raebareli, has been appointed as the Leader of the Opposition in the 18th Lok Sabha, ending a 10-year period without an LoP. The Congress party, which emerged as the second-largest party with 100 seats in the 2024 elections, made the announcement.
Rahul Gandhi won from both Raebareli and Wayanad but chose to keep Raebareli. Priyanka Gandhi will contest from Wayanad. Rahul Gandhi will now be part of key parliamentary committees and provide constructive criticism of government policies.
Key Details
Rahul Gandhi won with a margin of 364,422 votes from Wayanad and 390,030 votes from Raebareli. He will be a member of crucial committees such as Public Accounts, Public Undertakings, Estimates, and several Joint Parliamentary Committees. He is also entitled to be a member of various selection committees responsible for appointing heads of statutory bodies like the Central Vigilance Commission, the Central Information Commission, the CBI, the NHRC, and the Lokpal.
The leader of the largest opposition party having not less than one-tenth seats of the total strength of the Lok Sabha is recognized as the Leader of the Opposition. This position provides constructive criticism of government policies and offers an alternative government. The office of the Leader of the Opposition is not mentioned in the Constitution but is recognized under the Salaries and Allowances of Leader of Opposition in Parliament Act, 1977.
