I proposed Rahul Gandhi be Leader of Opposition, says Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday claimed credit for AICC leader Rahul Gandhi becoming the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, a day after the latter’s appointment was announced. Congratulating Gandhi, he said he [Siddaramaiah] was the one who had proposed it in a recent Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting.

“To face the BJP government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I had urged that Rahul Gandhi should become the Leader of Opposition and so did the working committee and others. Rahul Gandhi accepting this responsibility is good in the interest of the country,” Siddaramaiah said, speaking to the media.

Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar said Gandhi’s appointment would strengthen the Opposition’s INDI-alliance. “It is not his [Gandhi’s] wish, it is the wish of the people of the country. He has accepted it. I would like to congratulate [former AICC chief] Sonia Gandhi and AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge for taking the bold decision and for insisting he accept this responsibility,” Shivakumar added.

Gandhi was appointed leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, after a meeting of the floor leaders of Opposition pirates at Kharge’s home in Delhi. The Congress is currently the largest opposition party, winning 99 seats out of 543. The party’s INDI-alliance won 234 seats, narrowly losing to the NDA, which won 293 seats.