Ten Congress MPs from different States have written to party president Sonia Gandhi, suggesting that Rahul Gandhi be appointed Leader of the Lok Sabha, a position vacated by Pranab Mukherjee, who is now President.
The letter, written by Odisha MP Bhakta Charan Das, and signed by nine others, including P.C. Chacko (Kerala), Sanjay Nirupam (Maharashtra), Ninong Ering (Arunachal Pradesh), Madan Lal Sharma (J and K), Jaipraksh Hegde (Karnataka), Pratap Singh Bajwa (Punjab), Arvind Sharma (Haryana) and Francisco Sardinha (Goa), says making Mr. Gandhi the Leader of the House is the “need of the hour.”
Mr. Das told The Hindu that if Mr. Gandhi was to be made Leader of the House it would send a good message to the youth of the country as well as those sections he has been speaking up for — Dalits, tribal people and farmers.
Asked whether that would entail making Mr. Gandhi a Minister first, Mr. Das said, “That is the tradition, but it is not necessary.” On whether Mr. Gandhi should be plunged into what would be a very challenging job without prior experience, Mr. Das said, “His father, Rajiv Gandhi, became Prime Minister at a younger age.”
Sources in the party said the 10 MPs and a few others — all Lok Sabha members — have been meeting regularly to discuss problems related to their constituencies; of late they have expressed concern among themselves that they will find it hard to rewin their seats, unless something dramatically new doesn’t happen very soon. These MPs feel that if Mr. Gandhi becomes Leader of the House that might be a game changer for the party — and for them.
The sources added that it was, however, unlikely that Ms. Gandhi would accept their suggestion as it would bring him under the scanner and expose him to the Opposition. In any case, a new Leader of the House has to be appointed by August 8, when Parliament reconvenes for the monsoon session.
