No decision on leader of opposition: Naidu

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday refused to comment on the issue of who would be the leader of the Opposition in Parliament but assured that the government will go the "extra mile" to accommodate the opposition.

Asked whether Congress, which lacks the requisite numbers in the Lok Sabha, will get the post of the Leader of the Opposition, he replied "We have not discussed the issue. I have no comments to offer." He was speaking to reporters after taking charge of his ministry at Parliament House.

Congress has secured just 44 seats in the Lok Sabha, 11 less than one-tenth of the strength of the 543-member House required to get the post.

Though many Congress leaders have said that their party should get the leadership of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, the Speaker has the discretion to decide the issue.

Naidu, flanked by Ministers of State for Parliamentary Affairs Santosh Gangwar and Prakash Javadekar, said that he was committed to the "3-D" formula for smooth running of Parliament - debate, discuss and decide. "Not 4 D," he remarked in an obvious reference to "disruption" which was the order of the day in the last Lok Sabha in which BJP was in the opposition.

"I am not blaming anybody. People also want to have a proper debate in both Houses....Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed for a debate on any issue of public importance....We are ready to go the extra mile to accommodate the opposition as far as debate and discussion is concerned," he said.