Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been appointed as the Leader of Opposition for the Lok Sabha, a position that grants specific powers in Parliament. This marks the first time in a decade that a Congress member has held the LoP role, as the party had less than 10 percent of seats in the Lok Sabha in both 2014 and 2019.
To secure the Leader of Opposition post in the Lok Sabha, an opposition party must have at least 55 seats. The Congress party achieved this by winning 99 seats in the 2024 general elections.
Although the Leader of Opposition is not a constitutional position, it grants Rahul Gandhi certain powers in critical decision-making, including key appointments.
What powers does Leader of Opposition have?
As the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi will serve on vital parliamentary committees, including various Joint Parliamentary Committees, and the committees on Public Accounts, Public Undertakings, and Estimates, among others. He will also have influence over the appointment of bureaucrats to significant positions.
Additionally, Gandhi is entitled to membership in committees responsible for appointing the heads of statutory bodies such as the Central Vigilance Commission, the Central Information Commission, the Central Bureau of Investigation, the National Human Rights Commission of India, Lokpal, and more.
Rahul Gandhi is the third member of the Gandhi family to assume the Leader of Opposition position. Prior to him, his parents, Sonia and Rajiv Gandhi, held the LoP post. Rajiv Gandhi served as the LoP from 1989 to 1990, while Sonia Gandhi held the position from 1999 to 2004.
On Wednesday, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla officially recognized Rahul Gandhi as the Leader of Opposition, following the Congress’s communication to the Lok Sabha Secretariat a day earlier, naming him for the role.
The Congress MP from Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh, Rahul Gandhi has been recognized as the Leader of Opposition under Section 2 of the Salary and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act, 1977.
Thanking Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on his appointment as LoP, Gandhi posted on X, “I thank Congress president @kharge ji, and all the Congress leaders and ‘babbar sher’ karyakartas from across the country for their overwhelming support and warm wishes. Together, we will raise the voice of every Indian in Parliament, protect our Constitution, and hold the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) government accountable for their actions.”