Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], May 7 (ANI): The political climate in Tamil Nadu has tensed over TVK’s majority concerns to form a government with State Congress in-charge Girish Chodankar, on Thursday alleging that the Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar was ‘bowing’ to the BJP rather than to the ‘Constitution’.
He claimed that the Governor had a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) background and was acting under the directives from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his constitutional obligations to the people of the state.
This comes after Arlekar said that TVK does not have the required majority support in the state Assembly to form the government. The debutant party emerged as the single largest party with 108 seats, but was unable to cross the majority mark of 118 seats in the 234-member assembly.
Addressing reporters, Chodankar said, ‘Due to his RSS background and the pressure from Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, I feel that the Governor is bowing before the BJP rather than before the Constitution and the people of Tamil Nadu. This is not right. The Governor does not have the option to ask them to prove their majority at the Raj Bhavan. The Constitution is very clear. The Governor must respect the mandate given by the people of Tamil Nadu.’
Chodankar argued that the Governor has no ‘option’ other than inviting Vijay to take oath as CM, questioning why a majority has to be proven to Arlekar rather than the legislative floor.
‘Why should one have to prove a majority before the Governor? The Governor has no option then to invite Mr Vijay to swear in as the Chief Minister and should give him time, ‘ he said.
He warned that there would be a ‘revolt’ if the BJP and the Governor attempted to ‘rule’ through ‘backdoor’ channels and urged those who believe in secularism to stand firm in protecting the people’s mandate by supporting TVK.
‘BJP should not try to rule Tamil Nadu with one MLA. People of Tamil Nadu will not accept this. There will be a big revolt if Governor try to impose his rule and rule the state through backdoor. We also appeal all the secular parties. Those who believe in secularism, those want to prevent BJP or RSS rule in Tamil Nadu, should come out and support the people’s mandate. Public mandate is important,’ he said.
Governor Arlekar has invited Vijay today to Lok Bhavan where he explained that the requisite majority support in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, essential for forming the Government, has not been established.
CPI leader Veerapandiyan has confirmed that Vijay had written to the Communist Party of India seeking support to form a ‘progressive government’, adding that an emergency state executive committee meeting has been called for Friday to discuss the matter and take a final decision on extending support.
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) chief Thol Thirumavalavan has also called on Governor Rajendra Arlekar to invite TMK chief Vijay to form the government and prove his majority on the floor of the house.
TVK stunned the ‘Dravidian’ parties in the state, bringing to an end the DMK-AIADMK’s three-decade-old ‘duopoly’. With Vijay set to vacate one of the two seats he won in the Assembly polls, the effective strength of TVK in the Assembly will become 117, and along with Congress, the alliance has 112 members, just five short of a majority. (ANI)
