Congress Parliamentary Party meeting begins in Central Hall of Parliament

New Delhi: The Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) meeting begins in the Central Hall of Parliament in the national capital on Saturday.

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

Several other leaders including Karti Chidambaram, Rajiv Shukla, Randeep Surjewala, Ajay Maken, former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Shashi Tharoor are also present Congress Parliamentary Party meeting.

Meanwhile, the Congress party's newly-elected MP from Amethi, who defeated BJP's Smriti Irani, Kishori Lal Sharma arrived at the Central Hall of Parliament and said that the BJP should fulfil the promises.

"They should fulfil the promises they made," Kishori Lal Sharma said.

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari said that Rahul Gandhi has fought this government with courage and strength.

"My opinion is that Rahul Gandhi has fought this government with courage and strength. If he does it as LoP, he will be more effective," he said.
Congress leader Karti Chidambaram also arrived for the meeting and said that Congress is the largest party in the INDIA bloc.

"The people of India have spoken, they want a consultative government...They want a collaborative government. They don't want anyone to have a free pass. They want a Parliament that will discuss and debate issues and not steamroll and bulldoze things...I agree that he (Rahul Gandhi) should be the LoP because he is the face of our party. Our party is the largest party in the INDIA bloc...He should be the leader of the opposition," Chidambaram said.

Congress MP Deepender Hooda who arrived to attend the meeting said that BJP may have the numbers, but the people have given us the moral strength.

"There are two aspects of the mandate. BJP may have the numbers, but the people have given us the moral strength. People have worked to protect the country's Constitution, to strengthen the country's democracy and to bring balance in the country's politics. We will take this moral strength forward," he said.

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.

After the CWC meeting, Congress MP Kumari Selja said, "It was the CWC's wish that Rahul Gandhi be elected the LoP..."

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.

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.

In the Lok Sabha polls in 2024, the BJP did not cross the majority mark, bagging 240 seats. The Congress, on the other hand, registered a strong improvement, winning 99 seats. While the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance won 293 seats, the INDIA bloc crossed the 230 mark, posing stiff competition, and defying all predictions.