TN ministers 'surrendering' their rights to Guv: Pondy CM

On November 15, a political row had erupted in Tamil Nadu over Governor Banwarilal Purohit meeting government officials in Coimbatore as the DMK and other opposition parties claimed that it amounted to interference in the state's rights.

"Governors and Lt Governors are appointed by the Centre on the states and Union Territories and they cannot go beyond the constitutionally demarcated authority and intervene in the routine work of elected governments," he told reporters here.

He said he was of the firm view that the NDA government at the Centre was trying to "rule" Tamil Nadu through its "benami."

"It is quite unfortunate that ministers of neighbouring Tamil Nadu were surrendering their rights and authority to the state's governor by justifying his meetings with officials and reviewing implementation of schemes in the state," the chief minister said.

Reacting to Purohit's meeting with state officials, Narayanasamy had alleged that the central government was trying to "cripple" governance in opposition-ruled states using Governors and Lt Governors.

Referring to Lt Governor Kiran Bedi's style of functioning, he said, "She had been holding meetings with officials, visiting various localities without informing him or the ministers or legislators concerned."

"This is a clear case of violation of the statutorily demarcated powers and authority available to a Lt Governor in the Union Territory of Puducherry," he alleged.

The Puducherry chief minister is engaged in a bitter spat with Bedi over her style of functioning for the more than a year.

The Congress leader claimed that he has been waiting for more than four months for a reply from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his letter seeking an appointment with him to discuss the situation arising out of the "arbitrary style of functioning of Kiran Bedi."

Narayanasamy further said that he was consulting legal experts for a "judicial remedy to protect the rights of the elected government" here in context of the "frequent interference by the Lt Governor" in the routine administration.