Jun 08, Kathmandu- Prime Minister Narendra Modi's chief rival Rahul Gandhi has been nominated to lead India's opposition in Parliament on Saturday.

Modi is taking oath for the third term after winning the general elections recently. Gandhi's party deprived the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of a majority, forcing the BJP to rely on coalition partners to govern.

Gandhi defied analysts' expectations and exit polls to help his party (Congress) almost double its parliamentary numbers, the best result since Modi came to power a decade ago.

A Congress leadership meeting on Saturday voted unanimously to recommend Gandhi for selection as India's official opposition leader. This post was lying vacant since 2014.

All the participants passed the resolution unanimously and Rahul Gandhi should take the post of Leader of Opposition in Parliament and KC Venugopal said in a press conference after the party executive meeting.

After Saturday, the nomination will be submitted in a meeting of 232 MLAs of the Congress-led opposition alliance.

Gandhi belongs to a dynasty that has dominated Indian politics for decades. He is the son and grandson of the former Prime Minister.