AIADMK leaders divided over Governor’s review meeting

Finding themselves at the receiving end of Opposition’s charges that the state government had mortgaged its autonomy and powers to the Centre, two ministers D Jayakumar and SP Velumani virtually downplayed Purohit’s action. 

Speaking to the media in the city, Fisheries minister Jayakumar said the Governor had the powers to review the Central government schemes in the state. The Governor is the Chancellor of all the universities in Tamil Nadu and he could review their functioning, he said. Besides, he is also in charge of the welfare of ex-servicemen and he could look into their grievances and he has the powers to inspect the projects of Union government. Jayakumar further said the state government continues to decide on policy issues and the Governor has not intervened in those decisions. 

However, party MP Anwar Raja came out with a contrasting view on the same subject, openly flaying the BJP for the Governor’s action. In what can be termed as the first open attack on the BJP by an MP belonging to CM Edappadi K Palaniswami’s group, Anwar Raja accused the saffron party of trying to rule TN through the Governor.

But, another MP SR Balasubramanian took a different view and told reporters that there was nothing wrong in the actions of the Governor and denied allegations that the AIADMK had abandoned the state’s rights. He also charged the opposition parties with trying to create a fight between the state and the Centre. He said a Governor meeting the officials could not be termed as an interference in the state government’s functioning, he said and added that Governor Mohal Lal Sukhadia (who was appointed by the Centre a few months before the dismissal of the DMK government in 1976) had met the officials in a similar way, the senior leader noted.

“There is no rule that prevents a Governor from holding review meetings. He was just enquiring the health department officials over the measures being taken to control spread of diseases,” Balasubramanian said.

However, former minister and party spokesperson Vaigaiselvan said no Governor had held review meetings with officials in the past and Banwarilal Purohit had generated a controversy by his action. ‘In a democracy, a CM elected by the people is the head of the administration. As per the Constitution, review meetings must be held by the Chief Minister with the participation of ministers and people’s representatives, he noted. When a new procedure not in vogue is followed, such controversies arebound to happen, he said and appealed to the Governor to put an end to the controversy, in an indirect request to stop such review meetings.

Political parties like the VCK, PMK, CPI and CPM on Wednesday condemned state Governor Banwarilal Purohit for conducting review meeting with Coimbatore district officials. 

VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan said, “It is shocking that the Governor has violated his constitutional power by conducting a meet with district level government officials. The VCK is urging the state Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to oppose this. After the demise of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, the BJP tries to rule the state indirectly.”

The sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dinakaran said the people wanted the state government headed by Edappadi K Palaniswami to go and review the meetings conducted by Governor Banwarilal Purohit could be viewed as a precursor to the government’s fall. 

Hitting out at ministers, SP Velumani and D Jayakumar, who had welcomed the Governor’s action, Dinakaran said, “Such views are shameful. The CM, who should give an answer, is paying attention only to his selfish interests”.