In his first outing as Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi adopted a constructive approach, pledging to work with newly re-elected Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to ensure the voice of the Indian people is heard in Parliament.
Dressed in a crisp white kurta-pajama, Gandhi congratulated Birla and said the Opposition was eager to “assist you in doing your work” and ensure the smooth functioning of the House.
“It is very important that the voice of the Opposition is allowed to be represented,”
He emphasized.
The Lok Sabha speaker, Gandhi noted, is the “final arbiter of the people’s voice,” this election has shown Indians expect a robust opposition to defend the Constitution.
“We are confident that by allowing the Opposition to speak, you will do your duty,”
He told Birla.
Gandhi, the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, is the third member of his family to hold the position of Leader of the Opposition. In a behind-the-scenes move, he contacted key ally Mamata Banerjee to secure her party’s support for the opposition’s Speaker candidate.
Birla, a three-term BJP MP, was re-elected Speaker after a voice vote, with the support of 297 NDA MPs against the opposition’s 232. This was only the third Speaker’s election since independence, with the Congress forcing a contest.
