Congress Working Committee passes resolution; Sonia Gandhi to be Chairperson of Congress Parliamentary Party, Rahul to be Leader of Opposition

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Sonia Gandhi will be the Chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP). It was Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge who suggested Sonia's name. It is reported that other members also supported Sonia. With this, the Congress Parliamentary Party meeting came to an end.

Several prominent Congress leaders including UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and general secretary KC Venugopal were present at the meeting.

Earlier today, the Congress Working Committee passed the resolution that party MP Rahul Gandhi should be appointed as the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, sources said on Saturday.

Rahul Gandhi won the Lok Sabha elections from Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh and Wayanad in Kerala.

Congress fought the election as part of the INDIA bloc and the parties together were able to prevent BJP from getting a majority on its own in Lok Sabha. The BJP-led NDA won 293 in the polls.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi has apparently decided to resign from Wayanad constituency and stay in Rae Bareli. In that case, there are indications that Priyanka Gandhi may not come to contest in the Wayanad by-election. In this situation, leaders from Kerala may be considered in Wayanad. There were rumours that Priyanka Gandhi will contest as Rahul's replacement.

Considering practical matters, the party asked Rahul Gandhi to leave Wayanad and stay in Rae Bareli. In the meeting of the Congress Working Committee, it was also felt that the party will not get the atmosphere of victory it has achieved now in Wayanad.

UP leaders attribute the Congress's improved standing in Uttar Pradesh to the Rae Bareli contest. Therefore, the PCC leadership also suggested that Rahul stay in UP. Meanwhile, it has also been decided that Priyanka will not contest in Wayanad. A leader from Kerala will be considered for the constituency.