Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday urged Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar to allow Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Vijay the chance to demonstrate his majority in the state assembly. Abdullah argued that stopping Vijay from forming the government lacks justification, especially in light of significant Supreme Court rulings.
On Thursday, Arlekar rejected Vijay’s claim to form the government, citing insufficient numbers for his party. Currently, TVK has not achieved the simple majority required in Tamil Nadu, falling short of the 118 seats out of 234 needed for a governing majority. The Congress party, with five MLAs, has extended its support to TVK, yet this still leaves Vijay’s party below the required threshold.
Abdullah emphasized that there should be no imposition of President’s rule in Tamil Nadu, referring to legal precedents. “Numerous Supreme Court judgements indicate that after elections, the single largest party should be invited to form the government and should be given the opportunity to prove its majority on the floor of the house,” he explained during a press conference.
He cited historical instances, such as when former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was invited to form a government. Vajpayee’s government operated for only 13 days before resigning upon failing to secure a majority. Abdullah argued that similar principles should apply in Tamil Nadu. “If we reference the Supreme Court’s guidelines, the Tamil Nadu Lok Bhavan has no justification to hinder this process,” he said.
Omar Abdullah believes Vijay should be granted the opportunity to lead the government formation process. He asserted, “Vijay should be allowed to form the government and given a chance to verify his majority. If he succeeds, he can continue; if he fails, then he must resign.” The situation in Tamil Nadu remains contentious as political dynamics continue to evolve.
