Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, May 30
Congress president Rahul Gandhi today called on NCP chief Sharad Pawar amid growing indications that the Congress is scouting for support to claim the post of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
The Congress has 52 MPs in Lok Sabha and needs 54 to stake claim to the key post the party had missed after the 2014 Lok Sabha results.
It is learnt that the Congress was in touch with the NCP to consider possibilities of the two coming together to get hold of the post.
Speculation was that the two could have discussed the possibilities of the Congress and NCP merger to increase the grouping’s tally in LS and stake the LoP claim.
NCP leaders, including Pawar and daughter Supriya Sule, however, denied any such talks of a merger.
Meanwhile, the Congress was tight-lipped about whether it was trying to shore up LS numbers in some way to ease the path to the post.
With Rahul insisting on stepping down as party president, there are indications he might consider taking the position of Leader of Congress in Parliament or at least in Lok Sabha.
If the party can manage the support of more MPs in the Lower House, Rahul may be the party’s nominee for the post of Leader of Opposition, a Cabinet-rank position.
Meanwhile, Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy called on Rahul today in Delhi signalling “all is well” with the Congress-JDS ruling coalition in the state.
Box
Number game
* The Congress has 52 MPs in LS and needs 54 to stake claim to the key post, equivalent to Cabinet rank
* There is talk of Cong, NCP merging to reach the required number, but the latter has denied any such move
* If Congress manages the support of more MPs, Rahul may be the party’s nominee for the post
from The Tribune http://bit.ly/2WgDAk8
via Today’s News Headlines
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