In a written demand addressed to the Lok Sabha Secretariat, Congress called for backstage positions for Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and Congress Leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury that is second row of the Parliament.
Right now, while Sonia Gandhi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have gotten into first-row seats, Rahul Gandhi has once again been allocated a seat in the third row of the Parliament, a move that earlier on had drawn ire from Congress members.
Basis for the Demand
That most of its numbers have increased, thanks to the cleaning up of the Karnataka assembly elections and the major bypoll matches that the party won, has lent Congress a bulk upon which to rest its demand for four seats – Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.
Presently, with 85 MPs, Congress occupies Second position in the lower house after the BJP. Due to lines of priority in the Lok Sabha, passing down of first-row blocks depends on factors like party strength in that house, seniority of the member in question, and the political important-ness attached to factors.
Context and Political Scene
The ruling party has spurned the request so far. Congress sees this reverberation as a reflection of the party’s regained strength. If reinstated as an MP early this year through the approach of the Supreme Court to place a stay on his conviction for defamation, he is believed to act in Parliament within its role.
This is also best seen in the confluence of Congress’s effective ringing-in-the-elections in the year 2024. By partly establishing their leadership role within Parliament, Congress is positively taking up the stage to launch its counter-opposite against the BJP government more logically and effectively.
In all probability, the leaders of Congress view the matter with the prospect that it may determine whether the opposition is given due representation in Parliament or not. The session starts from December 4 and will discuss issues of vital national importance, including economic policies, unemployment, and national security.
Congress’ perspective on this is strategic; that is its claim to leading the opposition, and a way to get its senior leaders front row during crucial sessions.
Seating in Parliament by the front row is usually allocated according to party strength, seniority, and role in national importance positions. Congress initiation signals a different angle on regaining value and relevance in Parliament.
As the session draws near, all eyes will be on the Lok Sabha Secretariat regarding its verdict about the seating, which could turn out to be a litmus test for the Secretariat to uphold good representation in that house.
