# Official Opposition (India)

In India, Official Opposition designates largest party not supporting the ruling cabinet in the Parliament of India or a State or Territory Legislative Assembly. To get formal recognition in either upper or lower houses, the opposition party must have at least 10% of the total strength of the house.

## Role

The Opposition's main role is to question the government of the day and hold them accountable to the public. This also helps to fix the mistakes of the Ruling Party. The Opposition is equally responsible in upholding the best interests of the people of the country. They have to ensure that the Government does not take any steps, which might have negative effects on the people of the country.
The role of the opposition in legislature is basically to check the excesses of the ruling or dominant party, and not to be totally antagonistic. There are actions of the ruling party which may be beneficial to the masses and opposition is expected to support such steps.
In legislature the Opposition Party has a major role, which is:
* Constructive criticism of government.
* Putting restriction on arbitrariness of ruling party.
* Safeguarding liberty and right of people.
* Preparation to form government.
* Expression of public opinion.

## Current official opposition parties
### Parliament

This is the list of current opposition parties in the Parliament of India:
| House | Party | Seats | Total seats |
| Lok Sabha | INC | 101 | 249 |
| Rajya Sabha | INC | 27 | 111 |

### Legislative Assemblies

This is the list of current opposition parties in the Legislative Assemblies of the Indian states and union territories:.
| State/UT | Party | Seats | Total seats |
| Andhra Pradesh | N/A (no opposition with at least 10% seats) | – | 175 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | N/A (no opposition with at least 10% seats) | – | 60 |
| Assam | Indian National Congress | 26 | 126 |
| Bihar | Rashtriya Janata Dal | 79 | 243 |
| Chhattishgarh | Indian National Congress | 35 | 90 |
| Delhi | Aam Aadmi Party | 22 | 70 |
| Goa | Indian National Congress | 3 | 40 |
| Gujarat | N/A (no opposition with at least 10% seats) | - | 182 |
| Haryana | Indian National Congress | 30 | 90 |
| Himachal Pradesh | Bharatiya Janata Party | 25 | 68 |
| Jammu and Kashmir | Bharatiya Janata Party | 29 | 90 |
| Jharkhand | Bharatiya Janata Party | 26 | 81 |
| Karnataka | Bharatiya Janata Party | 66 | 224 |
| Kerala | Indian National Congress | 21 | 140 |
| Madhya Pradesh | Indian National Congress | 66 | 230 |
| Maharashtra | N/A (no opposition with at least 10% seats) | – | 288 |
| Manipur | N/A (no opposition with at least 10% seats) | – | 60 |
| Meghalaya | All India Trinamool Congress | 5 | 60 |
| Mizoram | Mizo National Front | 10 | 40 |
| Nagaland | N/A (no opposition with at least 10% seats) | – | 60 |
| Odisha | Biju Janata Dal | 51 | 147 |
| Puducherry | Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | 6 | 33 |
| Punjab | Indian National Congress | 18 | 117 |
| Rajasthan | Indian National Congress | 69 | 200 |
| Sikkim | N/A (no opposition with at least 10% seats) | – | 32 |
| Tamil Nadu | All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam | 65 | 234 |
| Telangana | Bharat Rashtra Samithi | 39 | 119 |
| Tripura | Communist Party of India (Marxist) | 10 | 60 |
| Uttar Pradesh | Samajwadi Party | 111 | 403 |
| Uttarakhand | Indian National Congress | 19 | 70 |
| West Bengal | Bharatiya Janata Party | 70 | 294 |

### Legislative Councils

This is the list of current opposition parties in the Legislative Councils of the Indian states:
| State | Party | Seats | Total seats |
| Andhra Pradesh | YSR Congress Party | 39 | 58 |
| Bihar | Rashtriya Janata Dal | 14 | 75 |
| Karnataka | Bharatiya Janata Party | 35 | 75 |
| Maharashtra | Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) | 12 | 78 |
| Telangana | Bharat Rashtra Samithi | 27 | 40 |
| Uttar Pradesh | Samajwadi Party | 10 | 100 |