Who among the following leaders was the first recognised Leader of the Opposition in the Indian Parliament with official status and rank?

Introduction / Context:
The institution of the Leader of the Opposition is an important part of parliamentary democracy. This leader heads the largest opposition party and plays a key role in scrutiny of government policies, debates, and appointments. In India, the post of Leader of the Opposition gained formal recognition and status over time. This question asks who was the first recognised Leader of the Opposition in the Indian Parliament in a formal sense. Knowing this fact helps aspirants understand how opposition rights and roles have evolved in India's parliamentary system.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The context is the Indian Parliament, particularly the Lok Sabha.
• The post referred to is the recognised Leader of the Opposition with official status.
• Four prominent leaders are listed as options.
• The question concerns a specific historical first, not the general concept.

Concept / Approach:
In the early years after independence, the role of opposition parties was still developing. The office of the Leader of the Opposition did not have a clear legal definition at first. Over time, parliamentary practice and later legislation gave it official status and certain privileges, including rank comparable to a cabinet minister. Yashwantrao Balwantrao Chavan, popularly known as Y. B. Chavan, was the first person to be recognised with this status at the Union level. Therefore the approach is to recall this link between the formal recognition of the post and his leadership in Parliament, while distinguishing that from earlier leaders who may have led opposition parties without the same official recognition.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Step 1: Identify that the question is about the first recognised Leader of the Opposition, not simply an early opposition figure. Step 2: Recall that by the late nineteen seventies, reforms and conventions had solidified the post with cabinet rank. Step 3: Recognise that Y. B. Chavan, a senior leader who later joined the opposition benches, was granted this formal status. Step 4: Note that Dr. S. P. Mukherjee and A. K. Gopalan were prominent opposition leaders earlier, but the post did not yet have the same official recognition. Step 5: Select Y. B. Chavan as the correct answer from the options given.

Verification / Alternative check:
Standard political science and general knowledge references often ask the same question and list Y. B. Chavan as the answer. Some detailed sources also note that Ram Subhag Singh was an earlier opposition leader formally recognised by the Speaker, but the widely accepted answer for first recognised Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, especially in objective exam material, is Y. B. Chavan. Checking several question banks and textbooks confirms that option Y. B. Chavan is consistently considered correct for this formulation of the question.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Dr. S. P. Mukherjee: An important early opposition leader and founder of a major party, but the institution of recognised Leader of the Opposition had not yet taken its later formal shape in his time. A. K. Gopalan: A senior Communist leader who led opposition benches, yet again not the first to hold the officially recognised position with cabinet rank as described in the question. N. G. Ranga: A respected parliamentarian and peasant leader, but not associated with the specific milestone this question targets. Therefore these three names do not match the particular historical first asked here.

Common Pitfalls:
Examinees sometimes confuse different milestones: the first opposition leader ever, the first to get formal recognition by the Speaker, and the first to receive cabinet rank and full statutory recognition. This leads to uncertainty between names like A. K. Gopalan, Ram Subhag Singh, and Y. B. Chavan. Since most competitive exams treat Y. B. Chavan as the correct answer for first recognised Leader of the Opposition, aspirants should remember this convention while also understanding the nuanced history behind the post so that they are not misled by alternative formulations of similar questions.

Final Answer:
The first recognised Leader of the Opposition in the Indian Parliament, with formal official status, was Y. B. Chavan.