Speaker empowered to give Congress LoP post, says Mallikarjun Kharge

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge has said Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan is empowered to grant the post of Leader of Opposition to the Congress.

"It is up to the Speaker. She has the power to give us the post of Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha. But, we don't know why there has been a delay in giving it," said Kharge.

On the issue of floor coordination ahead of the Budget Session being discussed in the all party meeting called by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Kharge said, "We are ready to give constructive support, if the parliament is run in a democratic way. If they ignore some issues and try to take benefit of the majority, then we will naturally behave in another way."

Meanwhile, the Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu refused to comment on the Leader of Opposition issue.

"It (Leader of Opposition) is not in my domain. It is in the Speaker's domain," Naidu said.

The Congress has 44 MPs and 59 along with its allies in the Lok Sabha. But according to rule book, a party must have at least 10 percent or 55 MPs, to be considered eligible for the position.

The Congress and its allies have demanded to get one of their leaders designated as the leader of the opposition.

However, it is expected that the Speaker's final decision will be in accordance with the rule book. She is likely to give her ruling before the commencement of the Budget session.