New Delhi [India], May 7 : Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Thursday criticised Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar over the delay in inviting Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) to form the government, alleging that the Governor was "buying time" to enable political manoeuvring in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Speaking to reporters amid the political uncertainty following the Tamil Nadu Assembly election results, Sibal argued that constitutional conventions require the single largest party in a hung assembly to be invited first to form the government and prove its majority on the floor of the House.
"At this point in time, no single party has the majority. Therefore, normally, the single largest party, even if they don't enjoy a majority, should be asked to form the government... The Governor cannot test as to who has the majority, and he has to ask the largest single party and the leader of that party to come and form the Government... Then he will give time to the TVK to show his majority on the floor of the House...," Sibal said.
He further alleged that the delay was politically motivated. "The Governor wants to buy time and ensure that the BJP can manipulate the electoral process and somehow manage not to allow TVK to form the government," he added.
The senior Advocate accused the Governor of acting as a political tool to benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), suggesting the delay is a calculated move to allow for political manoeuvring.
"I was hoping that by now the governor would have invited TVK to form the government... When governors become agents of the BJP, they do the bidding of the BJP," he said.
Meanwhile, TVK emerged as the single largest party in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections with 108 seats, but fell short of the majority mark of 118 in the 234-member House.
Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar reportedly invited TVK chief Vijay to Lok Bhavan earlier in the day, where he conveyed that the necessary majority support required for government formation had not yet been established in the Assembly.
With Vijay expected to vacate one of the two seats he won in the elections, TVK's effective strength in the Assembly is likely to stand at 107. Along with its ally Congress, the alliance currently has 112 members, leaving it five short of the majority mark.
After AIADMK declined support to TVK, Vijay is expected to approach smaller parties to secure the numbers required to form the government. The CPI, CPI(M), and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), each of which secured two seats, are among the parties being considered potential supporters.
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.
Meanwhile, CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby questioned the delay in the Governor's decision and said the party would take a call on extending support within 24 hours after consultations with the DMK.
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