New Delhi:
Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi tore into Tamil Nadu Governor RV Arlekar for not calling on Vijay to form the next government. His actions are “deplorable and unprecedented”, Singhvi, also a Supreme Court senior advocate, told NDTV.
“Consider these facts… this is the single largest party… there is no other claimant,” he said. “There is an inbuilt safeguard… that you will show majority in the House in 10 or 15 days. Then what is this ‘spirit of democracy’ in which this governor issues a press note and says he is ‘not satisfied’?”
Singhvi also criticised the “conduct of centre-appointed governors of state”, accusing them of having “destroyed federalism” and “playing into the hands of the centre as some puppet”, making references to showdowns between the previous Tamil Nadu government – led by the DMK-Congress alliance – and then-governor RN Ravi over the latter delaying assent to bills.
And he also pointed out that if the situation were to be prolonged the governor could call for President’s Rule, which would give the BJP control over a state it has never won in an election.
The Tamil Nadu story
Superstar actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam swept 108 of 234 seats – on its electoral debut – in last month’s Assembly election to finish as the single largest party.
The TVK, however, fell 10 seats short of majority and that has set up a cat-and-mouse game as Vijay scrambles to find allies and his rivals try to outmaneuver him, with speculation of a potentially historic (and controversial) DMK-AIADMK ‘deal’.
TVK chief Vijay meets Tamil Nadu Governor RV Arlekar (File).
In the midst of this, the governor has taken centre stage twice, refusing to invite Vijay – as the leader of the largest party – to form the government and allow him to prove a majority in the House. Arlekar’s insistence Vijay first provide him with 118 letters of support has been criticised even by the TVK’s rivals, who argue the actor is only required to prove his majority in the House.
RECAP | Governor Asks Vijay To Prove Majority For Oath, TVK May Move Court: Sources
Friday will be the third day of the governor-Vijay face-off, which could be resolved swiftly if smaller parties – the Left front and the VCK, both allies of the DMK – confirm support to the TVK.
Singhvi’s ‘legal’ answer
“The governor has been given a list (of 113 incoming MLAs backing Vijay, which includes the TVK’s 108 and the Congress’ five). The governor has to satisfy (himself about) those 113.”
“That’s it. He doesn’t have to say ‘I will not give you two weeks or 10 days to decide on the floor of the house whether you have the extra four. It’s as simple as that,” Singhvi asserted.
The Congress leader also pointed to precedence.
“(Atal Bihari) Vajpayee was 111 short in 1996,” he said, recalling the situation at the centre when the BJP was well short of majority after the Lok Sabha election but was still invited by then-President of India, Shankar Dayal Sharma, and given a chance to prove majority in Parliament.
RECAP | 107 TVK MLAs To Quit If DMK, AIADMK Try To Form Government: Sources
“That gentleman Vajpayee. He was called and, in a gentlemanly manner, he left after 13 days because he could not prove his majority on the floor. So, what is this governor doing?”
“Obviously, there is either ignorance of constitutional ethos or there is dictation and puppet direction from the central government… or he’s being advised by people who don’t know constitutional law. All three are disasters for the nation,” Singhvi said.
He also dismissed the suggestion the Arlekar may be acting in a “cautious” manner, reasoning. “He’s certainly not being cautious on constitutional law. He’s ignoring them. He’s ignoring constitutional culture, legacy, precedent. This is elementary. There is no rival claimant.”
Singhvi’s ‘political answer’
Singhvi also asked sharp questions of the BJP’s hand in the Tamil Nadu stand-off, claiming that despite the party having won only one seat in this election it had “control” over the AIADMK.
“The BJP would like Vijay, who has the complete public mandate to be dependent, to beg them to be dependent on AIADMK… to create some space for AIADMK and therefore for the BJP.”
READ | Vijay Pressured Since He Opposed BJP? ‘Political Rhetoric’ Reply
Speculation the BJP has a hand in the gubernatorial delay has been denied by the party, but was underlined nonetheless by Singhvi, who said: “Nothing is dependent on the governor’s discretion. Discretion doesn’t exist where things are black and white. This is a distortion…”
“Discretion doesn’t mean helping the ruling party… which dominates you as governor. It doesn’t mean you say ‘I will sit on things and delay things to create some kind of a stalemate’.”
What now in Tamil Nadu?
On Thursday, as he did on Wednesday, Arlekar turned Vijay away from the chief minister’s chair, demanding to see the 118 letters of support. The TVK, which initially said it would not pursue legal action and that it hoped to resolve this directly, then said it retained the option.
