In a bid to steer the Centre away from the political crisis in Tamil Nadu, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said it is the governor’s prerogative to invite a political leader to form a government.
“I have not said anything to the governor. No BJP leader is behind this. It is the AIADMK’s internal matter,” Singh said. The home minister’s remarks, along with that of other Union ministers, indicated that the Centre did not wish to be seen as playing a role in the crisis.
Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, who holds additional charge of Tamil Nadu, is said to be biding his time while seeking a legal opinion on swearing-in Sasikala as the chief minister. The Supreme Court had indicated that it would pronounce by next week its judgement in the disproportionate assets case against her and others.
But senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said a few members from the party had orchestrated the current crisis. Swamy lashed out at the governor, asking, “What kind of a governor leaves the state? He is in charge of the state... when it is in a crisis”.
Swamy also questioned how Chief Minister O Panneerselvam could withdraw his resignation as it was unconstitutional.
The Congress stated that the BJP is trying to fish in troubled waters by instructing the governor to stay away from Chennai.
“I must say it is extremely wrong, unconstitutional and patently illegal on the part of the BJP and the central government to fish in the troubled waters of Tamil Nadu,” said party spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
“There is nothing in the Constitution, practice, tradition or convention that requires the governor to delay the swearing in,” he added.
Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu, however, asserted that neither the Centre nor the BJP has a role in the “internal matters” of the AIADMK, and that the governor will take a decision in line with the Constitution. Sasikala, for her part, has blamed the governor for failing to act against Panneerselvam’s machinations, saying the governor is duty bound to swear her in once she claims majority.
A tour for support
Panneerselvam said on Wednesday that he would tour the state extensively and meet people in every village and district to seek support.
“I will meet people in every nook and corner of the state to seek their support,” he said.
He also said the late J Jayalalithaa’s niece Deepa Jayakumar, who entered politics recently, should be respected, and extended her an open invitation to join him.
Meanwhile, Panneerselvam also insisted that he continued to be AIADMK treasurer and wrote to two banks in Chennai not to allow anyone else to operate the party’s accounts, reports PTI.
Guv to reach Chennai by noon
Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, who holds additional charge of Tamil Nadu, is expected to reach Chennai by Thursday noon, reports DHNS from Mumbai. “Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao would be reaching Chennai on Thursday afternoon,” a source in the Raj Bhavan said, adding that he was keeping a tab on the emerging situation in Tamil Nadu.
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