While some leaders think it is the ‘right’ of the party to stake claim to the post, others feel the party should not ‘beg’ for the position
Division in the Congress is clearly perceptible on the issue of whether or not the party should stake claim to the post of Leader of the Opposition in the 16th Lok Sabha.
While a section of the AICC does not want the party to “beg” or seem desperate for the post, another section claims it is the “right” of Congress, despite knowing that it has be decided by the Speaker since the Congress failed to get 55 seats in the House.
“We should honour the people’s mandate. If we failed to get 55 seats in the House then why should we beg for the post ? Is it because of the Cabinet status or for other purposes. If the government wants to bypass the main Opposition in the appointments of Lokpal, CVC and other constitutional bodies merely on technical grounds. Then, let them do so. We have Parliament, the highest forum to raise issues,” a senior party leader and a CWC member said.
The debate on whether the Congress can get the Leader of Opposition post has put the party in the poor light. The Congress is staking claim on the basis that the UPA has won over 55 seats. “The UPA is the pre-poll alliance and thus it should get the post. If the party leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge does not get it, then this will give a wrong message to dalit community,” argued another CWC member.
Meanwhile, Congress general secretary and the spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed on Saturday said the post of the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha is the “right” of the Congress while expressing confidence that Speaker Sumitra Mahajan will take a decision in their favour in this regard when the next Parliament session begins in July.
Citing provisions from the Salary and Allowances of Leaders Of Opposition in Parliament Act, 1977, and rules made thereunder (as amended up to December, 2002), Mr Patel said that the leader of the party in Opposition which has the greatest numerical strength gets the post.