Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has rejected Congress demand for the Leader of Opposition(LoP) post in the house. Sources said that Ms. Mahajan in a letter to the Congress has said the party can not get the LoP post as it doest not have mandatory 10 per cent or 55 MPs in the lower house.

Earlier Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi had also given his opinion to Speaker that the party should not be given the LoP status as it does not have the requisite number.

He had said neither parliamentary tradition nor the law supports the Congress' claim. The party has been demanding the post saying the 10 percent of total strength in the house is not mandatory for the post. It has only 44 MPs in the 543 member Lok Sabha.

Meanwhile, Congress has said that it will analyze Speaker's decision and then decide further course of action. Talking to AIR party spokesperson Shakeel Ahmad said that the number of 55 MPs is not necessary for the post.

He said the law relating to Salary and Allowances of Leader of Opposition in Parliament Act provides that the largest opposition party will get the post.

Last month, the Congress had also handed a petition to the Speaker signed by MPs of UPA and other party like JD(U) to press the demand.