Differences in Cong over calls to make Rahul LS leader

Seniormost minister is Leader of the House

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi is facing opposition from within the party over demands by some leaders that he be appointed Leader of the Lok Sabha to fill in the shoes of veteran leader Pranab Mukherjee, who relinquished the post to enter the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

“I don’t think that he (Rahul) will be appointed as Leader of House in the Lok Sabha,” said a senior Congress functionary, when asked about the possibility of the Gandhi scion being a replacement of Pranab Mukherjee in the Lower House of  Parliament.

Remarks of senior Congress leaders have come after 10 party MPs from different states wrote a letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi urging her to appoint Amethi MP as Leader of Lok Sabha.

Another senior Congress leader echoed the same view and said “conventionally seniormost Cabinet minister is made Leader of Lok Sabha” without commenting on whether there is any possibility of Rahul Gandhi  being made Leader of Lower House.

Growing demand

Clamour for Rahul Gandhi  adopting a bigger role has been growing within Congress. In a joint letter written to the Congress president on Wednesday, the MPs have said that it was the need of the hour to create a sense of confidence among partymen that Rahul Gandhi should speak dynamically on issues concerning the masses.

MP’s letter

“We have written a letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi urging her to make Rahul Gandhi  leader or House in Lok Sabha,” Bhakta Charan Das, one of the 10 MPs, who wrote joint letter said here.

Apart from the demand to make Rahul Gandhi  Leader of Lok Sabha, names of Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and Union Urban Development Minister Kamalnath are also doing the rounds in Congress circles for the coveted position.