Rahul Gandhi, now holds the rank of Cabinet Minister.This has also strengthened his standing in the protocol list and could position him as a natural contender for the role of Prime Minister of the opposition bloc.
By Sanjeeb Kumar Sahoo
Every day, I express my gratitude to the Sun as it ascends and once more as it descends in the evening. And after working all day on political stories, developing ideas, attending press conferences, and meeting with people to raise funds for the National Political Mirror’s daily operations.
Then, at night, I talk to the stars and express my emotions to them, and when I look at them, they begin to shine after hearing my happy stories.
However, during bad weather, clouds obscure my ability to see them, which saddens me.
But, at the same time, sadness turns to happiness when a senior citizen in my society building calls me around 9 p.m. every day and asks what’s going on or “Kya Ho Raha Hai?” I am heading to the temple; feel free to join me for prayer if you would like. So, whenever I am available at home, I always accept his walking request.
His delightful company inspires me with his way of life. He often discusses national and state politics, coming from an RSS background and being a strong supporter of the BJP. Despite knowing that I sometimes criticise the Narendra Modi government, he occasionally teases me about it and asks me questions regarding my views of India’s opposition leader, Rahul Gandhi. Or Sanjeeb Rahul Kai Ware Mai Kuch Baaton (Sanjeeb, share some insights about Rahul Gandhi). When I explained about Rahul Gandhi, he was quite impressed with me and even admitted that Rahul is working hard.
However, he suggested that Rahul needs to put in more effort regarding political strategy and should stop relying on five people. Even during discussions, sometimes I agree with him about suggestions for Rahul Gandhi.
On the other hand, I am also quite aware of the distinction between when people laugh with me and when they laugh at me.
To be direct, I would like to congratulate top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on completing one year as the successful leader of India’s Opposition in the Lok Sabha, having been appointed on June 25, 2024. I will share a few thoughts about some of his achievements over this past year in the next couple of paragraphs.
Let’s get straight to the point: I would like to congratulate Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on winning many supporters from high-rise buildings following his 4PM press conference at Congress party headquarters in New Delhi on June 4th, 2024.
And Rahul Gandhi was appointed India’s opposition leader following the 2024 Lok Sabha election results, which saw opposition party-led INDIA group Chairman and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, 81, stop Narendra Modi’s National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at 293.
On a positive note, I.N.D.I. A coalition led by Congress won 233 seats: the party won 99 seats, the Samajwadi Party won 37 seats, the Trinamool Congress won 29 seats, the DMK won 22 seats, and the remaining seats were won by other alliance partners—who I will name at the end of the story.
However, the NDA formed the government, and 74-year-old top BJP leader Narendra Modi became Prime Minister for the third time after securing the necessary majority of 272 Lok Sabha seats to lead the government of 543 Lok Sabha members.
First Leader of the Opposition after 2014
Notably, after the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi became India’s first opposition leader in 2024, with the right to question the Union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on behalf of the people of India in the Lok Sabha.
In the previous two Lok Sabha terms (2014 and 2019), Congress held the position of the largest opposition party; however, it fell short of the necessary numbers, which constitute one-tenth of the total strength of the House.
During the 16th Lok Sabha, the Congress party had 44 members of parliament, whereas in the 17th Lok Sabha, this number increased to 55. However, following the results of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress party secured 99 Lok Sabha MPs, marking the highest number among the opposition parties.
The position of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha (also known as India’s Opposition Leader) was not recognised until 1969, when Ram Subhag Singh became the Lok Sabha’s first recognised LoP (Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha).
The position gained formal acknowledgement via the Salary and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act, 1977. This act specifies that the term ‘Leader of the Opposition’ refers to the member of the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha who, at any given time, leads the party in opposition to the government with the highest numerical strength, and is officially recognised by the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha or the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
Rahul Gandhi’s Constitutional Role
Rahul Gandhi, India’s Opposition Leader, is holding a constitutional position for the first time since entering politics in 2004, when he won his first election from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.
Rahul Gandhi, now holds the rank of Cabinet Minister.This has also strengthened his standing in the protocol list and could position him as a natural contender for the role of Prime Minister of the opposition bloc.
Rahul Gandhi, serving as the Opposition Leader in the Lok Sabha, holds membership in significant panels responsible for key appointments, including those of the Lokpal, CBI Chief, Chief Election Commissioner, and other Election Commissioners. He is also involved in the selection processes for the Central Vigilance Commission, the Central Information Commission, and the NHRC Chief.
Rahul Gandhi has been an MP for five terms and now represents the Rae Bareli constituency in the Lok Sabha, which was previously held by his mother, Sonia Gandhi. However, he lost his existing seat of Amethi to Smriti Irani of the BJP by 55,120 votes; however, he won the Wayanad seat with more than 60% of the vote because he was contesting for two Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
On June 25, 2024, he took his oath as an MP, holding a copy of the Constitution.
Similarly, he was contesting from two Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 elections. Although he won from both constituencies—Wayanad in Kerala and Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh—he resigned from the Wayanad seat, where his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra contested and won.
What is the role of the opposition leader?
The Leader of the Opposition is an important figure in parliamentary proceedings, providing the necessary checks and balances on the ruling government. They ensure that different points of view are taken into account and that alternative viewpoints are represented.
The Leader of the Opposition is frequently referred to as the “shadow prime minister” and leads a shadow Cabinet, which is a group of opposition members who mirror the roles of the government’s Cabinet. This shadow Cabinet is prepared to take over the government if the current one falls.
According to a government document, the Leader of the Opposition must carefully measure his words and actions and act with the same level of responsibility as the Prime Minister on matters of national interest. If the Leader of the Opposition believes that the “government is trying to slide over an important issue and shun parliamentary criticism,” he has the right to demand a debate on it.
On issues such as foreign relations and defence policy, the Prime Minister may consult with the Leader of the Opposition before making a commitment. “And in times of grave national crisis, the Leader of the Opposition usually underlines the unity of the nation on a particular issue by openly identifying himself with the Government policy,” according to the official document.
The Leader of the Opposition’s primary responsibility is to represent the opposition in the House. According to a 2012 official booklet on Parliament, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha ““is considered as a shadow Prime Minister with a shadow Cabinet, ready to take over the administration if the Government resigns or is defeated on the floor of the House”.
According to the document, the Leader of the Opposition may strongly criticise the government on the floor of the House.The Leader of the Opposition is said to be the official spokesperson for the minority or minorities. He must demand justice and take appropriate action if their rights are violated.
The Salary and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act of 1977 established the official position of Leader of Opposition.
The Act describes the Leader of Opposition as a “member of the Council of States or the House of the People, as the case may be, who is, for the time being, the Leader in that House of the party in opposition to the Government having the greatest numerical strength and recognised as such by the Chairman of the Council of States or the Speaker of the House of the People”.
The Leader of the Opposition sits in the front row, to the left of the Chair, and has certain ceremonial privileges, such as accompanying the Speaker-elect to the rostrum. The Leader of the Opposition is also entitled to a front-row seat during the President’s address to both Houses of Parliament.
One of the primary responsibilities of the Leader of the Opposition is to ‘effectively’ question the government’s policies. The role of Leader of the Opposition is extremely difficult because he must ensure that the government is accountable to the legislature and the public, as well as present alternatives to government proposals/policies.
“His/her proactive role in facilitating smooth functioning of the business of the House is as important as that of the Government,” says a booklet on “The Indian Parliament”.
This marks the third occasion that a member of the Gandhi family has assumed the position of leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha. Prior to this, Sonia Gandhi, the mother of Rahul Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi, his father, also held leadership positions in the Lok Sabha.
Sonia Gandhi served as the Leader of Opposition from October 13, 1999, until February 6, 2004. In addition to this, Rajiv Gandhi served from December 18, 1989, to December 24, 1990.
Rahul Gandhi’s Performance as LoP
Since we frequently referred Leader of the Opposition (LoP) as the “shadow prime minister” and leads a shadow Cabinet, which is a group of opposition members who mirror the roles of the government’s Cabinet. So, after becoming Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi visited Manipur on July 8, 2024, the violence-torn north-eastern state since the Lok Sabha elections, saying that while he had hoped that the situation would have improved, it “is still nowhere near what it should be” and requesting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the violence-torn state.
As part of his national duty, India’s Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi visited relief camps in Churachandpur, Moirang, and Jiribam on July 8, 2024. Later, he met then-Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey. “It’s the third time I have come here since the problem started and it has been a tremendous tragedy. I was expecting some improvement in the situation but I was disappointed to see that the situation is still nowhere near what it should be,” he said while addressing media persons in Imphal.
On the other hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not visited the state since the violence began. The state’s conflict, which began on May 3, 2023, has resulted in over 200 deaths and the displacement of over 60,000 people, forcing them to live in relief camps.
Since Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had been vocal about the need for a caste census, and his party, the Congress, had promised one in its 2024 Lok Sabha election manifesto. Even after the results of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, which went against the Grand Old Party’s wishes, Rahul Gandhi continued to call for a caste census both inside and outside of Lok Sabha.
Finally, in May of this year, Rahul Gandhi’s long-standing demand regarding the census was addressed under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as decided by the Cabinet Committee of Political Affairs (CCPA) on April 30, 2025. And believe it or not, Rahul Gandhi’s biggest achievement since the caste census, which he always demanded, is due to him; the government of India has decided to hold a caste census along with the upcoming census.
And, in its Press Information Bureau (PIB) report dated 04 JUN 2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs stated that It has been decided to conduct Population Census-2027 in two phases along with enumeration of castes. The reference date for Population Census – 2027 will be 00:00 hours of the first day of March, 2027. For the Union Territory of Ladakh and the non-synchronous snow-bound areas of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir and States of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the reference date will be 00.00 hours of the first day of October, 2026.
However, prior to the June 4 Press Information Bureau (PIB) press releases, on April 30, 2025, the Union Cabinet approved the inclusion of caste enumeration in the upcoming national census. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the Union Cabinet decision while addressing the media after a Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) meeting. Vaishnaw said, “Under the leadership of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Cabinet Committee of Political Affairs has decided today (April 30, 2025) that caste enumeration should be included in the forthcoming Census. This demonstrates that our government is committed to the values and interests of our society and the country, like in the past, when our government had introduced 10% reservations for economically weaker sections of society.”
After becoming India’s opposition leader, Rahul Gandhi has held 18 press conferences, 60 public meetings, 35 official programs, spoken in Lok Sabha 16 times, and engaged in more than 115 interactions with small groups.
Finally
Rahul Gandhi, as Leader of the Opposition for the past year, has played a critical role in holding the government accountable and providing constructive criticism of government policies. I attempted to include his items in the story after Rahul Gandhi became India’s opposition leader, but I did not include many meetings. However, I will include pictures with captions in the story. And it’s about the end of the story, Iwould like to say that the people of India expect more from him as his role as opposition leader, which will make for a strong Indian democracy, as there are still four years until the next Lok Sabha polls in 2029.
This story was originally published in the July 22 print edition of the National Political Mirror.
