Rahul Gandhi to be Leader of Opposition in LS; Kodikunnil named candidate for Speaker's post

New Delhi: The opposition INDIA bloc has forced an election for the Lok Sabha Speaker's post by announcing Mavelikkara MP Kodikunnil Suresh as its joint candidate.

Meanwhile, K C Venugopal said that Rahul Gandhi will be the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha.

"CPP Chairperson Smt. Sonia Gandhi ji has written to the Pro-Tem Speaker informing him that Sh. Rahul Gandhi ji is appointed as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. We are confident that as LOP, Rahul ji will be a bold voice for the common people of India and ensure that the NDA government is held firmly accountable at all times," Venugopal, who is the General Secretary in-charge of the Congress party told mediapersons.

The INDIA bloc held a meeting at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge Tuesday night, where they discussed the strategy for Wednesday's election. The opposition accused the BJP-led NDA of disregarding the convention of giving the Deputy Speaker's position to them.

However, Trinamool Congress (TMC) had expressed unhappiness claiming they were not consulted before fielding Suresh as the joint candidate. The TMC, however, attended the meeting at Kharge's residence. Floor leaders of the Congress, TMC, DMK, AAP, NCP, Shiv Sena, RJD, JMM, Samajwadi Party, CPM, CPI and RSP were among those present at Kharge's residence.

Suresh will take on NDA's Om Birla, who has been given a renomination by the ruling dispensation, in a rare election being held after 47 long years. This will be the fourth time after many years that an election to the post of Speaker will be held, as the nominee is normally elected unopposed.

While elections to the Speaker's post were common before Independence, the position of the presiding officer of the Lok Sabha has witnessed contests only three times in Independent India --? in 1952, 1967 and 1976.
(With PTI inputs)