Sushilkumar Shinde is new Leader of House in Lok Sabha

Parliamentary Affairs Minister PK Bansal said yesterday that PM Manmohan Singh had nominated Shinde to the post. Shinde was shifted from power ministry and appointed home minister in place of P Chidambaram, who became the finance minister.

Party sources said Shinde's seniority and his cool temperament had worked in his favour for a post that requires constant interaction with the opposition to sort out contentious issues.

Speculation had been rife about Shinde's appointment as the leader of the house in the Lok Sabha though 10 Congress MPs had petitioned party president Sonia Gandhi last month that party general secretary Rahul Gandhi should be appointed to the post.