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CONCORD Republican opposition to House Speaker Shawn Jasper believes it is the real GOP caucus and should set their partys agenda in the House.

At a meeting, called by former Speaker Bill OBrien, R-Mont Vernon, who lost the speakers race to Jasper earlier this month, about 80 to 100 GOP representatives gathered to express their anger and frustration and plan how to proceed.

The group agreed to go forward separately from the official Republican caucus led by Majority Leader Jack Flanagan, R-Brookline, which meets Wednesday, and follow the conservative agenda set by the House Republican Alliance, a conservative group established about 17 years ago.

I am pleased a majority of the Republican caucus will bring forward a conservative agenda a fiscally responsible agenda, OBrien said after the meeting, which was held behind closed doors. I am willing to take on the leadership of this group.

He noted there are a lot of upset Republicans because Jasper worked with Democrats who joined with about 40 to 50 Republicans to make Jasper speaker, after Republicans had already chosen their nominee. (See related column here.)

Rep. Stephen Stepanek, R-Milford, said the group plans to make a proposal at Thursdays rules committee meeting that the elected leader of the Republican caucus, which would be OBrien who received his partys nod as the House Speaker nominee last month, would be named the Majority Leader of the House by the Speaker.

Stepanek said it would be the same arrangement Democrats have, noting Rep. Stephen Shurtleff, D-Concord, who won his partys nomination, was named Minority Leader by Jasper.

The rules committee is chaired by Jasper.

After Tuesdays meeting, OBrien said Whatever happens there (rules committee), we are going to have a leader of the Republican caucus, and that leader will be me.

He noted Jasper said after he was elected, he would serve the entire House and would leave the political agendas to the majority office and minority office.

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