JD(U) backs Congress for Opposition in Lok Sabha

New Delhi: Amid suspense over the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, the JD(U) on Friday threw its weight behind the Congress, stating that the grand old party party should get the position.

With the Congress failing to win a minimum 10 per cent Lok Sabha seats, there is suspense if the Speaker Sumitra Mahajan would use her discretion to recognize a leader of the Opposition.

“In a similar situation in Bihar, the then CM Nitish Kumar of our party had given the status of leader of the Opposition to Mr Adbul Bari Siddiqui of RJD though his party did not have mandatory numbers to claimit,” JD(U) national general secretary K.C. Tyagi said.

The JD(U) reasoned that the main opposition party needed to be given the leader of Opposition status to allow it to be on the panel to consider key appointments like the CVC, head of the NHRC and the Lokpal.