NewKerala.com

Mukul Rohatgi Calls TN Political Deadlock an "Artificial Crisis"

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi has termed the Tamil Nadu political deadlock an "artificial crisis." He said Governor RV Arlekar should have invited TVK chief Vijay to form the government immediately as the single largest party. Rohatgi argued that constitutional convention allows the largest party time to gather support and prove majority. Vijay has staked claim with 108 seats and support from Congress and Left parties, needing VCK's two MLAs to cross the majority mark.

Key Points: Mukul Rohatgi: TN Governor Should Have Invited Vijay

  • Mukul Rohatgi terms TN political deadlock "artificial crisis"
  • Governor should have invited Vijay on day one as single largest party
  • Vijay has 108 seats but needs 118 for majority
  • Congress and Left parties support, VCK support crucial
3 min read

"It is an artificial crisis": Mukul Rohatgi says governor should have invited Vijay to form govt

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi says Tamil Nadu Governor should have invited TVK chief Vijay to form government immediately after election results.

"It is not a constitutional crisis situation, according to me; it is an artificial crisis. - Mukul Rohatgi"

By Sushil Batra, New Delhi, May 9

Senior Advocate and former Attorney General of India Mukul Rohatgi has termed the ongoing political deadlock in Tamil Nadu an "artificial crisis", saying the Governor should have invited TVK chief Vijay to form the government immediately after the election results.

In an interview with ANI on the Tamil Nadu political situation, Rohatgi said, "It is not a constitutional crisis situation, according to me; it is an artificial crisis."

He said that as the leader of the single largest party, Vijay should have been asked by Governor RV Arlekar "on day one" to form the government, even if his party was short of the majority mark.

"Even if he was ten short of the magic number, it did not matter. It is settled law, through constitutional conventions, that the leader of the largest party is called. He is allowed to gather support and form a stable government within one or two weeks," Rohatgi said.

According to him, constitutional practice in India has consistently allowed the single largest party an opportunity to prove its majority on the floor of the House. He added that there have been instances where parties initially short of numbers later secured enough support to continue in office.

Rohatgi cited the example of former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao, saying even minority governments can survive if other parties abstain during confidence votes.

"The problem now is that the Governor is creating a crisis by assuming the role of the Assembly, demanding proof of 118 or whatever the number is. That is completely wrong," he said.

He further said that neither fresh elections nor President's Rule would be desirable after such a large electoral exercise.

"Thousands of crores are spent on elections, with immense manpower and hours invested. Then they say that a person who has 108 or 110 seats is not to be given a chance. It has never happened," Rohatgi added.

The remarks come amid a continuing stalemate over government formation in Tamil Nadu. Actor-turned-politician Vijay met Governor Arlekar on Friday for the third time in as many days and staked a claim to form the government.

According to reports, Vijay has not yet been invited to take oath as Chief Minister as he has allegedly failed to demonstrate the support of 118 MLAs, the majority mark in the 234-member Assembly.

In the recent Assembly elections, Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam emerged as the single largest party with 108 seats. The Congress has extended support through its five MLAs, while Left parties have added four more legislators, taking the alliance strength to 116.

The support of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, which has two MLAs, is now being closely watched as it could help Vijay cross the majority mark.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
I don't understand the Indian system fully, but from what I've read, shouldn't the Governor be impartial? It feels like he's playing political games here. In the US, the governor wouldn't typically meddle this way after elections. Let the legislature decide.
P
Priya S
Rohatgi is spot on! Remember 1998 when Vajpayee got 15 days to prove majority? Or even 1996 when Deve Gowda was called even though he was short? The Governor is overstepping his constitutional role by demanding proof upfront. This is creating unnecessary instability in TN. Vijay deserves a chance. 🙏
M
Michael C
Making a crisis out of nothing. The Governor should step back and let the political process work. This is exactly why we need clearer rules on government formation to stop the chaos.
V
Vikram M
While I agree with the principle, we must also consider that Vijay's TVK is a new party. Maybe the Governor wants to avoid a prolonged instability like we saw in Karnataka 2018 or Maharashtra 2019. But still, calling the single largest party is the constitutional norm. Let the numbers decide on floor, not the Governor's office.
A
Amanda J
So much drama over 2 seats. 🙄 Isn't democracy about respecting the people's mandate? Vijay got 108 seats, that's what the people wanted. Let him form government and then face a confidence vote. This isn't rocket science.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50