New Delhi: Congress MP from West Bengal Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was on Tuesday selected as leader of the party in the Lok Sabha. The much-awaited decision was taken at a key strategy meeting at Congress Parliamentary Party leader Sonia Gandhi’s residence in the morning.
Besides being a five-time MP, Mr Chowdhary is known as a fighter, a fact acknowledged by even Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Sunday’s all-party meeting.
Though Mr Chowdhary, briefing the media after the meeting, did not officially confirm his selection, sources said his name was finalised after Congress president Rahul Gandhi refused the position. Mr Chowdhury replaces veteran Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who this time lost the election from Gulbarga.
Others in contention along with Mr Chowdhury were Kerala MPs K. Suresh, Shashi Tharoor and former information and broadcasting minister Manish Tewari. Sources said Mr Suresh’s name had been finalised as chief whip, a position that was held by Jyotiraditya Scindia, who also lost the election this time.
