Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury named as Congress leader in Lok Sabha

Senior lawmaker Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is all set to lead the Indian National Congress Party in the 17^th Lok Sabha. It is to be noted that the Congress Party on Tuesday named Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury its leader in the Lower House.

Reportedly, the decision of making Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury as its leader in Lok Sabha comes after Congress party failed to convince Rahul Gandhi to take up the post.

Talking to the reporters, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, “I have been given this responsibility (the leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha). I was asked to stand in the front. I said okay. I am a foot soldier and foot soldiers stand in front. So I will fight as a foot soldier.”

According to the NDTV, the decision was taken at the high-level meeting in which Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his mother UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi were present. Also, a letter has been written to Lok Sabha, mentioning Chowdhury would be the leader of the single largest party and represent it at all important selection committees.

At the meeting, the party also discussed the selection of the Lok Sabha Speaker and decided not to oppose the NDA choice - Rajasthan lawmaker Om Birla, who is from the BJP.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is the sitting Member of Parliament (MP) from the Berhampore Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal since 1999. He had also served as the President of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee from 2014 to 2018.

Previously, Mallikarjun Kharge was the leader of the Congress party in the 16th Lok Sabha. However, he lost his seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.