NEW DELHI: In February this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi predicted the opposition would soon sit in the visitors’ gallery of Parliament. After four months, his government now looks at its biggest test in
Parliament
as
Rahul Gandhi
takes over as
leader of opposition
in the
Lok Sabha
.
Both the leaders shared a rare and unmissable moment on Wednesday as they shook hands and escorted the newly re-elected Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to the chair.
With this polite gesture, Rahul Gandhi, also sent a clear message as the leader of opposition: ” … This House represents the voice of people of India … Of course the government has political power, but the opposition also represents the voice of India’s people.”
For the first time, Rahul now holds a Constitutional post in his long political career of over two-and-a-half decades. He was announced the leader of opposition after a meeting of the INDIA bloc leaders on Wednesday.
Appointment on this post is also a first for the Modi government as the post had been vacant for the last 10 years. In the last two terms of
PM Modi
, there has been no leader of opposition as a party needs to cross the 55-member mark to stake a claim for the post. The 2024 Lok Sabha election results gave a major boost to the Congress and Rahul Gandhi as the party emerged as the single largest party in the INDIA bloc by winning 99 Lok Sabha seats.
Why is leader of opposition post important for opposition?
For the last 10 years, opposition has constantly attacked Modi government over misuse of central agencies. With his new job, Rahul will now have a say in every key appointments.
As the leader of opposition, Rahul will now be a member of important panels on appointments of Lokpal, CBI chief, chief election commissioner and other election commissioners. He will also sit in the panel for the selection of Central Vigilance Commission, the Central Information Commission and the National Human Rights Commission India chief.
These panels, by default, are headed by the prime minister. The Modi government will still have the advantage as it would have two votes [PM and a Union minister]. But as leader of the opposition, Rahul will have a voice and will be privy to all the deliberations of these panels.
Apart from this, he will be the chairman of all-important Public Accounts Committee which has the primary function of examining CAG reports and can also seek probes from the government.
Rahul will also enjoy the perks of a cabinet-rank minister and will get an office in the Parliament building.
In the Lok Sabha elections 2024, the Congress leader contested and won both the seats — Rae Bareli and Wayanad. He decided to retain Rae Bareli and his sister Priyanka would now contest bypolls form Wayanad. On the other hand, the BJP, which crossed the majority mark on its own in last two Lok Sabha elections, is now dependent on its allies to keep the boat floating.
Third day of the Lok Sabha already witnessed fireworks over Speaker Om Birla’s resolution on the Emergency. Opposition MPs, including from the Congress, raised slogans against the reference. With charged up MPs and Rahul as leader, opposition now looks at pinning accountability on Modi government in the ongoing Parliament session.
