Rahul Gandhi named Leader of Opposition in India’s Lok Sabha

The Congress party officially appointed Rahul Gandhi as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, following a significant gathering of the INDIA bloc leaders at the residence of Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge. The announcement was made on June 25 by senior party leader KC Venugopal, who communicated the decision in a letter to Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab.

This leadership appointment marks a pivotal moment for the Lok Sabha, which had not seen a recognized Leader of Opposition for nearly a decade due to no single party, aside from the ruling party, achieving the necessary seats to nominate a candidate for the position. In previous elections, the Congress party fell short of the threshold needed to appoint a Leader of Opposition, securing only 52 seats in 2019 and 44 in 2014.

The 2024 Lok Sabha elections witnessed a substantial turnaround for Congress, which defied exit polls and predictions by winning 99 seats. This outcome not only enabled the appointment of a Leader of Opposition but also represented the party’s best performance in over a decade. Rahul Gandhi himself achieved notable electoral victories in Wayanad, Kerala, and Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh—securing the highest winning margin in the latter.

Gandhi’s success in Wayanad was decisive, where he received 647,445 votes, significantly outpacing Annie Raja of the Communist Party of India (CPI) and BJP candidate K Surendran. Following his victory, Gandhi announced his decision to resign from the Wayanad seat to retain the Raebareli constituency, leading to the nomination of his sister, Priyanka Gandhi, for the Wayanad seat.

Rahul Gandhi’s appointment as Leader of Opposition is more than a ceremonial role; it is a strategic position from which the Congress party can more effectively challenge the policies of the ruling party and articulate alternative governance visions. This development comes at a time when the Congress party is looking to consolidate gains and reassert its presence on the national stage.