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New Delhi: For the first time in a decade, the Leader of the Opposition attended the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort, with Congress MP Rahul Gandhi present at the event on Thursday. However, his seating arrangement, positioned in the second last row alongside Olympic medallists, sparked debate on social media.

Rahul Gandhi was seen seated next to India's hockey team forward Gurjant Singh. Olympic medallists such as Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh and members of the bronze-winning hockey team, including captain Harmanpreet Singh and PR Sreejesh were seated ahead of Rahul Gandhi. The front row was occupied by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Amit Shah, and S. Jaishankar.

According to a report by India Today, sources from the Ministry of Defence, which organises the Independence Day event and makes the seating plans, stated that Gandhi's placement in the second row was due to the front rows being reserved for Olympic medal winners. “Sources said the LoP is normally given a seat in the first few rows as per protocol,” added the news outlet.

The Leader of the Opposition, whose rank is equivalent to that of a Cabinet Minister, is typically assigned a seat in the front row according to protocol. During the BJP regime under Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Sonia Gandhi, the then Leader of the Opposition, was consistently allocated a seat in the front row.

Several users expressed their opinions on X (formerly called Twitter), criticising the seating arrangements. One user remarked, "Mr. Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition, sitting in the back row, even behind Olympic medalists, demonstrates the qualities of a true leader who never misuses his identity or constitutional position." Another user commented that the BJP has engaged in its usual cheap politics here as well, noting that despite Rahul Gandhi being the prominent voice of the opposition and holding the position of Leader of the Opposition, he was seated in the second row while other ministers occupied the front row.

 

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Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal on Monday said the Congress-led UDF’s sweeping victory in the Kerala Assembly polls was a clear verdict against the “arrogance”, corruption, and nepotism of the CPI(M)-led LDF government headed by CM Pinarayi Vijayan.

Addressing a press conference as counting of votes for all 140 Assembly constituencies neared completion, Venugopal said the outcome reflected public anger against what he termed “10 years of misrule” by the Left government.

He claimed that Vijayan’s victory in his home constituency, Dharmadam, was “only technical”, alleging that the CM trailed the UDF candidate in the initial rounds of counting and failed to secure a majority in his own village.

“He just escaped. He suffered a setback even in his home turf. He was the only person who did not realise the people’s mood in this election,” Venugopal said.

Alleging that the CPI(M) and the LDF had resorted to “communal and opportunistic politics”, he further claimed that the ruling front had entered into a “secret understanding” with the BJP in a bid to retain power for a third consecutive term.

He said that when a government driven by power and arrogance attempts to align with anyone to stay in office, even its own cadre turns against it.

Referring to the results, Venugopal said that while the UDF expected rebel CPI(M) leaders, including K Kunhikrishnan in Payyannur, to impact the vote share, their victories came as a surprise.

Describing the UDF’s performance as a “historic victory”, he attributed it to coordinated teamwork, grassroots mobilisation, and the dedication of party workers, adding that the alliance accepted the mandate “with humility”.

Venugopal also credited Rahul Gandhi’s campaign guarantees, calling them a “trump card” that helped voters focus on real issues and reject what he described as the LDF’s “false narratives”.

He claimed that the Congress witnessed one of its lowest levels of rebellion in this election, which contributed to the alliance’s strong performance.

The senior Congress leader further alleged that the BJP managed to win two seats with the help of the CPI(M), and asserted that forces attempting to divide society on communal lines should “learn a lesson” from Kerala’s verdict.

“This is the real Kerala story,” he said.

On the question of the next Chief Minister, Venugopal said the party leadership would decide at the earliest after due consultations.

The counting of votes began on Monday morning for all 140 Assembly constituencies in Kerala, where the Congress-led UDF secured a decisive majority, defeating the CPI(M)-led LDF, which was seeking an unprecedented third consecutive term in office.

 

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