Rahul setting agenda, LoP is ‘shadow PM’ in parliamentary system: Jairam Ramesh

PTI New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday said that Rahul Gandhi becoming the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha has been a “booster dose” for the INDIA bloc and noted that LoP is considered a “shadow prime minister” in a parliamentary system. Ramesh also asserted that going forward the INDIA bloc has to be further strengthened and a common agenda has to be prepared for the alliance. In an interview with PTI, Ramesh said Gandhi has been aggressive in his role as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and has raised people’s issues. Asked whether he sees Gandhi as a future prime minister, Ramesh said, “Right now, he is the Leader of Opposition. We are functioning as a cohesive alliance. We are not looking that far ahead. I think he is setting the agenda. Mr Gandhi is setting the agenda, the Congress is setting the agenda, the INDIA ‘janbandhan’ is setting the agenda.”

“Let us not jump 10 steps ahead, let us take one step at a time,” he added. On Congress leaders asserting that Gandhi has the qualities to assume the PM’s post in future, Ramesh said, “In a parliamentary system, the Leader of Opposition is a shadow prime minister. It is obviously the case but as an LoP he has tremendous responsibilities to function and in the short time that he has been an LoP, he has already had a very significant impact both in Parliament and outside. But we have a long way to go.” During the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, the people saw real Rahul Gandhi, Ramesh said. “We have to strengthen the INDIA bloc further and prepare a common agenda,” he said.

“After becoming the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, there is a new vigour in the Congress and INDIA bloc. This is a booster dose for us,” Ramesh said. His remarks come a day after Congress general secretary Sachin Pilot said he sees Rahul Gandhi as a leader who will lead the country in the future and the entire opposition will stand unitedly behind him when the next Lok Sabha elections happen. “We all see him as a leader who will lead the country and when the next elections happen, the people of India and the entire opposition will stand unitedly behind Rahul Gandhi,” Pilot had said.