CWC meeting: Congress leader is likely to retain the Raebareli seat in Uttar Pradesh and he may quit the Wayanad constituency, said sources to India TV. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) today (June 8) passed a resolution to appoint Rahul Gandhi as the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the 18th Lok Sabha.
"The CWC has unanimously requested Rahul Gandhi to take the position of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. He is the best person to lead this campaign inside the Parliament," said Congress General Secretary (Organisation), KC Venugopal, after the meeting, adding that the former party chief would take a decision very soon.
Rahul Gandhi won the Lok Sabha elections from Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh and Wayanad in Kerala. Venugopal said that the revival of Congress has begun, and the atmosphere in the CWC is entirely different now from what it was four months back.
"The people of India have spoken, the Congress has been given another chance, and it is now up to us to build on it," he said.
Senior Congress leader and newly elected MP from Alappuzha KC Venugopal said "CWC unanimously requested Rahul Gandhi ji to take the responsibility of the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha."
The CWC resolution praised Rahul Gandhi for his efforts in the election campaign.
"Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi has to be singled out largely because of the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra that he designed and led. Both these Yatras that reflected his thinking and personality were historic turning points in our nation's politics and instilled hope and confidence in lakhs of our workers and crores of our voters. Rahul Gandhi's election campaign was single-minded, sharp and pointed and more than any other individual it was he who made the protection of our republic's Constitution the central issue in the 2024 elections. The PaanchNyay-Pachees Guarantee programme which resonated so very powerfully in the election campaign was the outcome of Rahulji's yatras in which he listened to the fears, concerns and aspirations of all people, especially youth, women, farmers, workers, Dalits, Adivasis, OBCs and minorities."
The meeting of the extended Congress Working Committee was held in the national capital on Saturday. The meeting was attended by Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Manish Tiwari, DK Shivakumar, and Revanth Reddy among others.
Decision on which seat to vacate to be done by June 17
“As for vacating either the Wayanad or Raebareli seat, the decision will be taken on or before June 17 (Monday). It’s obvious that one can hold only one seat. Both the seats are very close to him. So the decision will be made soon,” Venugopal said earlier today.
The Congress leaders from Kerala have been pressing Rahul Gandhi to retain Wayanad, despite speculation that the party might field Priyanka Gandhi from the seat if her brother decides to vacate it.
The CWC meeting was attended by Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, senior leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and DK Shivakumar, among others.
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