INDIA to hold separate meets today, Rahul Gandhi's leadership role in focus

New Delhi,UPDATED: Jun 8, 2024 07:29 IST

A day after a mega meeting by the NDA to elect its Parliamentary Party leader, several Opposition parties, including the Congress, DMK and Trinamool Congress, are expected to hold separate meetings to analyse their party's performances in the Lok Sabha polls and discuss the future course of action.

The Congress will hold meetings of its Working Committee, the party's top decision-making body, and will name its Parliamentary Party leader. Currently, Sonia Gandhi is the Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson, and she is likely to be nominated for the post again.

During the meetings, the newly-elected Congress MPs are expected to strongly pitch for Rahul Gandhi as the Leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha, sources told India Today TV. As per the party constitution, the right to appoint the Leader of Congress is with the party's Parliamentary Party comprising all newly-elected MPs of the Lok Sabha and those of the Rajya Sabha.

If Sonia Gandhi wants, she can take the decision immediately or reserve it for later, sources said, adding that there are fewer chances that the decision will be taken during the meetings itself.

This will be the first time that the Congress, since its ouster from power in 2014, will get the post of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. It failed to get the position in the past 10 years as its tally was below the requisite 10 per cent of total seats in the House, both in 2014 and 2019.

An extended meeting of the Congress Working Committee will be held at Hotel Ashok at 11 am where Congress Legislature Party leaders and the party's presidents from various states will analyse its performance and suggest measures to strengthen the organisation.

The party's top brass, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, besides other leaders will participate in the deliberations.

A meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party will be held in the Central Hall of Parliament at 5:30 pm, party leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge will also host a dinner for all extended CWC members and party MPs at Hotel Ashok.

After lacklustre performances in the 2014 and 2019 general elections, the Congress improved its performance and won 99 seats, becoming the second-largest party after the BJP, which won 240 seats, 32 short of a majority in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief MK Stalin will hold a meeting with all newly-elected party MPs in Chennai today. Other winning MPs from the INDIA bloc are expected to participate in the meeting, news agency ANI reported.

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee will meet with all newly-elected party MPs at her residence in Kolkata at 4 pm on Friday.

The INDIA bloc defied predictions and won 234 seats while the NDA won 293 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

(with inputs from agencies)