New Delhi: Discussion over the probable candidates for two key parliamentary posts--Leader of the Opposition (LoP) and Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC)--which examines important policy matters, are going on within the party ahead of the special session of Parliament starting June 24.
The LoP post is formally coming to the grand old party after 10 years as the Congress could win only 44 MPs in 2014 and 52 MPs in the 2019 national elections. As per rules, the single largest party in the opposition must have 54 MPs, which is 10 per cent of the House strength 543, in the Lok Sabha to be able to formally get the LoP post.
In 2024, the Congress won 99 seats. Hence, it would easily get the two key parliamentary posts. Accordingly, Rajya Sabha member Sonia Gandhi, who was recently elected Chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party, will now nominate MPs for the two key posts.
As far as the LoP post is concerned, former party chief and Rae Bareli MP Rahul Gandhi has to decide whether or not to accept a Congress Working Committee resolution that urged him to take the important Constitutional post.
“We all wish that Rahul Gandhi should become the LoP, but he has to take that decision. A decision on the LoP post and the Chairperson PAC post will be taken during the Parliament session,” Lok Sabha MP Hibi Eden told ETV Bharat.
According to party insiders, the decision may be taken during the first two days of the special session of Parliament when the newly elected MPs will take oath. If Rahul becomes the LoP, Gaurav Gogoi may be named as the deputy leader in the House. In case Rahul declines the LoP post, Gaurav Gogoi was the front-runner for the post, said party insiders.
As far as the post of the Chairperson PAC was concerned, several names like Tariq Anwar, Shashi Tharoor and KC Venugopal were doing the rounds, but Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari appeared to be the front-runner.
Tewari, who earlier represented Ludhiana and Anandpur Sahib constituencies in Punjab in the Lok Sabha, has both legislative and administrative experience as he was a minister in the previous UPA government.
“There are several senior and capable MPs in the House. The party will soon take an appropriate decision,” Lok Sabha MP Mohammed Jawed told ETV Bharat.
Hibi Eden said the grand old party as well as a united opposition will counter the NDA government in the House over key issues.
“The BJP broke a parliamentary tradition over the Pro-tem Speaker nomination, who administers oath to the newly elected members. Usually, the post goes to the senior-most member irrespective of his or her party affiliation. It should have gone to our veteran K Suresh, but the BJP denied him that chance as he is a Dalit. We will protest this in the House,” said Eden.
“Also, our leader Rahul Gandhi has said that we will raise the scam in the NEET-UG, NET-UGC and other exams that have exposed this government in the House and has impacted the lives of lakhs of students. We will also take up other relevant issues impacting the public. We will ensure accountability of the government and the NDA cannot escape,” he added.
Read more: Congress Lying on Pro-Tem Speaker Issue, Will Not Give in to Pressure: Kiren Rijiju
