• Source:JND
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Lok Sabha Updates: The Congress Parliamentary Committee (CPP) chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, wrote to the pro-tem speaker, informing him that Rahul Gandhi will be the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. The announcement was made by party general secretary KC Venugopal after a meeting of floor leaders of the opposition.

"CPP chairperson Sonia Gandhi wrote a letter to pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab, informing the decision of appointment of Rahul Gandhi as the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha," Venugopal said at a press briefing.

“Other office bearers will be decided later,” he added. 

This will be the first constitutional position that Rahul Gandhi would hold in his long political career of over two-and-a-half decades. Gandhi as the LoP of Lok Sabha would also be a member of important panels on key appointments of Lokpal, CBI chief, Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners, besides the selection of Central Vigilance Commission, the Central Information Commission and the NHRC chief. The prime minister heads all such panels.

Here Are Top Updates:

- The opposition INDIA bloc forced an election for Lok Sabha Speaker's post by fielding Kodikunnil Suresh as its joint candidate after it accused the ruling NDA of disregarding convention of not giving the Deputy Speaker's position to them.

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- According to news agency PTI, the top leaders of the opposition bloc held a key meeting at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge o Tuesday night, where the strategy for Wednesday's poll was discussed.

- Meanwhile, TMC claimed that they were not consulted before fielding Suresh as the joint candidate. However, the TMC attended the meeting at Kharge's residence.

- Congress has issued a three-line whip to all its newly elected MPs to be present during the voting on Wednesday's election. Suresh takes on NDA's Om Birla, who has been given a renomination by the ruling dispensation, in a rare election being held after 47 long years.

- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also issued a three-line-whip to its MPs to remain present in the House on Wednesday from 11 a.m. onwards.

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- Earlier, Rahul Gandhi took oath in Lok Sabha as a Member of Parliament (MP) from Raebareli on Tuesday with a copy of the Constitution in his hand. He was part of the remaining MPs who took their oaths today after a total of 262 newly elected MPs, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, did so on Monday, the inaugural session of the 18th Lok Sabha.

- Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi, who had come to Parliament for his brother, Rahul Gandhi's oath-taking, said that she was pleased to see several party leaders taking oaths in the 18th Lok Sabha.

- Besides Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, Mahua Moitra, Supriya Sule and Kanimozhi are some of the key leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc who are taking oath on the second day of the 18th Lok Sabha.

(With input from agencies)