The Congress’s new Leader in the Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, looks set to get the Leader of the Opposition status, sources in the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry indicated on Wednesday, though the final approval will come from the new Speaker, who will be from the BJP.
This is despite the Congress winning just 44 seats, fewer than the mandatory 10 per cent of the total Lok Sabha seats required to qualify for the post automatically.
The Congress may also get the post of Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha, if it can find a suitable candidate, with the Trinamool Congress failing to persuade the AIADMK to put in its claim for the job.
Cabinet rankFor the Congress, securing the Leader of the Opposition status will be balm on its wounds: an officially recognised Opposition Leader gets not just the rank, perks, salaries and allowances of a Cabinet Minister but also has to be consulted in the selection of key officials.
