CHENNAI: As TVK scrambles to secure the magic number for government formation, the Congress, Left parties, and the VCK on Thursday condemned Governor Rajendra Arlekar for not allowing Vijay to form the government, calling the move unconstitutional.
CPI national secretary D Raja accused the governor of playing a “dubious role” in the process. “The question of majority must be tested on the floor of the House and not in the halls of Raj Bhavan,” Raja said in a post on X.
Warning against any “selective interpretation of constitutional norms”, he alleged that such actions would reinforce fears of political interference. “The BJP should not be allowed to spread its tentacles in Tamil Nadu through the misuse of the office of the governor,” he added.
CPM general secretary MA Baby cited the precedent of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee being invited to form the government in 1996 despite the BJP lacking a post-poll majority.
“In such a situation, the established convention has been that the leader of the single largest party should be invited to form the government, take oath, and be given a reasonable period to prove majority on the floor of the House,” Baby said, adding that the governor was “duty-bound and convention-bound” to follow the same course now.
TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai accused Arlekar of acting at the behest of the BJP instead of functioning in accordance with the Constitution. “The single largest party should be invited to form the government. A floor test follows thereafter. The Congress condemns this. We are very clear that we are supporting TVK,” he said.
Congress leader Girish Chodankar went further, saying the Governor was “bowing before the BJP rather than before the Constitution and the people of Tamil Nadu.”
While VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan condemned the governor, party principal secretary Aloor Sha Navas has questioned TVK’s silence on the governor’s role. “Opposing the governor is opposing the BJP. That requires ideological conviction and courage. Does Vijay have that?” he asked.