NEW DELHI: With the party claiming that people have put it “firmly on the path of revival”, the Congress Working Committee led by president Mallikarjun Kharge Saturday demanded in one voice that Rahul Gandhi take over as the leader of opposition (LOP) in Lok Sabha to carry forward the fight for welfare and democracy inside the Parliament.
The CWC also passed a resolution urging Rahul-as-LOP, while the Gandhi scion replied he will think over the demand.
Later, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said, “Rahul Gandhi is the best person to lead us in the Parliament. For a strong and vigilant opposition, those who want to protect the Constitution also… should be safe under the leadership of Rahul as LOP.”
Also, Sonia Gandhi was re-elected as the chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party by Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs, who would now nominate the leaders in the two Houses. While Kharge is set to stay on as the LOP in the Upper House, the possibility of Rahul taking up the top responsibility in the LS is open.
As an upbeat Congress wrapped up the inhouse formalities in the wake of electoral performance that saw its tally nearly double from 2019, Sonia Gandhi said Modi is unlikely to change the substance and style of his governance, warning of “challenging times ahead”.
“We have to be alert to prevent any attempts to increase polarisation and erosion of secular and democratic values by the ruling cabal. All such attempts must be thwarted,” Sonia Gandhi said.
Kharge said people voted to “save democracy and the Constitution” and the mandate is a rejection of BJP’s ten years of politics of hate and polarisation. In a resolution, the CWC thanked the people for “voting so powerfully to preserve our democracy, protect the Republic’s Constitution and enhance social and economic justice.” It criticised the PM for running a campaign anchored in bigotry.
Sonia said “a mighty and malevolent machine” tried to destroy Congress by crippling it financially and through a campaign of lies against the party leaders. “Many wrote our obituaries. But under the determined leadership of Kharge, we persevered,” she said. The CWC noted, “The people have given Congress another chance. It is now up to us to build on it.”
Taking jibes at Modi, Sonia said the PM sidelined the BJP and its allies to seek a mandate “solely in his name”, but has suffered a political and moral defeat. “In reality, he has lost the mandate and the right to leadership as well. Yet, far from taking responsibility for failure, he intends to get himself sworn in again tomorrow,” she mocked.
The possibility of Rahul taking over the LOP post increased in view of the CWC resolution.
At the meeting, veteran Digvijaya Singh raised the demand for Rahul taking over the LOP, which was echoed by Gaurav Gogoi, Devendra Yadav, CMs Siddaramaiah, Revanth Reddy, among others. They said his leadership will boost the voice of the party members. Interestingly, according to sources, Kharge underlined that over 200 MPs will be standing behind him when he takes on the government.
The perch will place Rahul at the head of the opposition bloc which has returned to the 18th Lok Sabha with a boosted tally after a decade, and the coming together of the anti-BJP parties under the INDIA bloc is likely to boost cohesion too.
Kharge said Congress has posted a good performance, and increased its seats in SC/ST/OBC/minority dominated areas and in rural regions, but the party has to win in urban areas too. He pointedly noted that Congress has underperformed in the states where it had won assembly elections, in a reference to Karnataka, Himachal and Telangana.
Thanking the INDIA allies for fighting well in different states, the CWC singled out Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra for special mention.
At the same time, Kharge told party members that elections will be held in important states in coming months, a reference to Haryana and Maharashtra, and the party should defeat the rivals at any cost. “People want a change, and we have to become their strength,” he said.
Congress members lamented the absence of a level playing field in the elections, or else the BJP would have got 100-150 seats fewer. Gogoi said the Modi govt will not complete its term.