CHENNAI: Remarks made by Telangana Governor and Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Tuesday gave momentum to speculation that she is aiming to return to electoral politics.
She was speaking in Chennai after her books - ‘One among and amongst the people’ and ‘A year of positivity’ were released to mark her second year as Governor and first as L-G. Referring to suggestions and rumours from “friends” in the media on where she might head next, Tamilisai said, “I always wish to be in the post dear to the hearts of the citizens.”
Then she recalled the protests against her in Puducherry and her differences with Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. “I have been working hard as the Governor of two States. There has been no room for shortcomings, whether in is my constitutional duties or service to the people. I have managed two CMs. One of them won’t pay heed to me even if I address him as a brother. The other will respond to me by addressing me as a sister. So, the Puducherry CM and Telangana CM are different persons. Since I have managed to work with both of them, I can work with any CM,” she said.
Referring to the reports speculating on her transfer from Telangana as the State needs a strong Governor, she wondered: “Do they think women are not strong? I challenge them: There can be no stronger Governor than me. I can manage anything. No one could have faced what I have faced.” “Puducherry is an example of what good things will happen if a Governor and CM work together. But Telangana is an example of what will happen if a Governor and CM fight with each other” she added.
Explaining what had happened in Telangana, she said “The problem cropped up when I refused to approve the person recommended by the CM for the MLC post. I am not a rubber stamp Governor to affix my signature wherever the CM directs. There are some shortcomings against that person and I refused to appoint him as MLC. This is the root cause of all problems. A democratically-elected Chief Minister is trying to act as a dictator.”
“There were charges that I have been functioning as a ‘super Chief Minister’. There are demonstrations in Puducherry demanding my transfer. In the three months of President’s rule there, I worked hard to bring down Corona cases in Puducherry,” she added.