Constitutional mandate should be respected: Cong on Sasikala-OPS power struggle

New Delhi: Congress on Thursday refrained from commenting on the political situation in Tamil Nadu, but urged the government to ensure that Constitutional mandate is respected and duties discharged as per Constitutional provisions.

"It is for the government of the day and the Prime Minister and Home Minister who have appointed the Governor to ensure that the Constitutional mandate is respected and the duties discharged as per the Constitutional provisions.

"As you know we are in opposition. If we were in government, we would have given a detailed response but now we are not required to," Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma said.

A bitter fight has erupted within AIADMK between party general secretary VK Sasikala and caretaker Chief Minister O Panneerselvam.

Sasikala on Thursday staked claim to form the government during a 40-minute meeting with Governor C Vidyasagar Rao, who arrived in the city this afternoon, a couple of hours after Panneerselvam met him.

Sasikala called on the Governor and gave him a letter presumably containing the names of MLAs who elected her as AIADMK Legislature Party Leader and requested him to invite her to form the government.