NEW DELHI, 17 Jun: The Congress’ top leadership on Monday held discussions at party chief Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence here to decide whether Rahul Gandhi should vacate his Wayanad or Rae Bareli seat.
The meeting also discussed whether Gandhi would take up the post of leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, sources said.
Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, a former Congress president, and party general secretaries KC Venugopal and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were present during the discussions.
Sources said that the leaders are learnt to have held crucial discussions on which seat Rahul Gandhi should vacate or keep, and whether he should take up the position of the leader of opposition.
Gandhi won both from Wayanad and Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituencies, and he has to vacate one of the seats within 14 days of the Lok Sabha results, which came out on 4 June.
The Congress Working Committee (CWC), the highest decision-making body of the party, has also urged Gandhi to take up the position of the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, and a resolution to this effect was passed by the CWC in its last meeting held on 8 June.
Venugopal had said that the CWC urged Gandhi to take up the position as “he is the best person” for the post.
There are indications that Vadra may contest from the seat vacated by Gandhi in the bypoll. (PTI)