Congress today criticized Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi for opining that the party had no claim to the post of the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha. The party alleged that his view on the matter was aimed at pleasing the political masters. Senior leader Anand Sharma told reporters in New Delhi today that the Attorney General is just providing an apology for what he called the blatantly partisan approach of a confrontational government. Sharma also accused the government of trying to pressurise Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on the issue. He said party hopes that the Speaker will reject the opinion, which is just to please the executive, and do what is correct.

Yesterday, Rohatgi had opined that the Congress is not entitled to the post of Leader of the Opposition as it does not have the required 10 per cent, 55 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha. Congress has only 44 seats.