New Delhi: Congress on Sunday announced the appointment of Gaurav Gogoi as its Deputy Leader in Lok Sabha and continuation of senior-most MP Kodikkunnil Suresh as party’s Chief Whip in the Lower House.
Party General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal said Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla regarding the appointments of Deputy Leader, Chief Whip, and two senior MPs—Manickam Tagore and Mohd Jawaid as Whips.
“Guided by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, the Congress and I.N.D.I.A parties will energetically champion the people’s causes in the Lok Sabha,” Venugopal said announcing the appointments through a post on ‘X’.
Considered close to Rahul, the 42-year-old Jorhat MP was the party’s Deputy Leader in the previous Lok Sabha too, and the latest decision to continue with him in the post comes following his successful articulation of the Congress' position in the Lok Sabha.
The party is giving more gravitas to Gogoi, who was also inducted into the Congress Working Committee at the national level with an aim to groom him for a bigger role in Assam where Assembly elections will be held in 2026.
In the latest Lok Sabha election, he had won from Jorhat with a thumping majority though the BJP led by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswas Sarma had tried all tricks to defeat him in the reconstituted Lok Sabha seat.
Congress also chose to continue with Suresh, an eight-term MP from Kerala, as Chief Whip owing to his experience and seniority. Suresh was chosen as the I.N.D.I.A candidate for the Speaker’s election.
Tagore, another MP close to Rahul Gandhi, has also been reappointed as Whip along with Kishanganj MP Mohd Jawaid.
Published 14 July 2024, 07:51 IST
