Pressure on Rahul to take over as leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, can lead allied parties unitedly

NEW DELHI: After the UDF and INDIA alliance won the Lok Sabha elections, the leaders demanded Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to take over as the leader of the opposition. The leaders will raise the demand in the working committee meeting. Other names will be considered only if Rahul Gandhi is not ready to take over the post. There is pressure to take over the post.

All the allied parties are of the opinion that Rahul Gandhi should take over the opposition leader post as the face of INDIA alliance. The leaders said that if he becomes the leader of the opposition, he will be able to take all the allied parties together. Rahul Gandhi is holding talks with party and constituent leaders about future programmes. A decision could not be taken on who should become the opposition leader in the meeting convened by INDIA alliance the other day.

The meet decided not to try to form the government for the time being. It is estimated that the BJP government will be shaken as it will have to depend on parties including TDP and JDU to maintain the rule. If a chance is obtained in the future to topple the government, it will be used.

In the Lok Sabha elections, INDIA Alliance won 233 seats and is 39 seats away from the absolute majority. A meeting held at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge decided to wait patiently for the right time to oust the BJP from power and remain a strong opposition till then. 33 leaders from 20 allied parties attended the meet. Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction) leader Uddhav Thackeray had sent their representatives.