NEW DELHI: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Thursday claimed that the Centre has been advising the foreign delegations against any meeting or discussion with the Leader of Opposition (LoP), a norm that was exercised during the previous governments, both during the UPA and the NDA.
The startling charge by Rahul Gandhi, while speaking to reporters outside Parliament, comes hours ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s two-day visit to India. His remarks are set to raise eyebrows in the political corridors and also set the stage for heated sparring between the BJP and Congress.
“Meetings with the LOP take place with delegations coming from outside. It has been a long-held tradition and has always been done this way, ” he said, while citing instances during Manmohan Singh and Atal Bihari Vajpayee governments.