Governor doing his duty, no vacancy for CM's post: Centre on TN crisis

Bengaluru: Amidst "delay" in inviting VK Sasikala to take oath as chief minister, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said on Sunday in Bengaluru that motives cannot be attributed to Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao as he is discharging his duties as Constitutional head of the state in a "non-partisan manner".

The senior BJP leader made the statement when asked about the political uncertainty in neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

AIADMK General Secretary VK Sasikala had earlier written to the Tamil Nadu Governor over the "delay" in inviting her to form the government.

"When you are writing to the Governor, nobody should attribute motives to him. He is behaving in the most non-partisan manner and doing his duty," he said.

There is no vacancy (on the post of Chief Minister) to be filled because there already is a government which is headed by a Chief Minister, he said.

Naidu was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event in Bengaluru.

Naidu said the outcome of the ongoing intra-party turmoil in AIADMK can only be decided by the party and its leaders.

He also sought to clarify that it was not because of BJP that O Panneerselvam had resigned.

"The fact is that Panneerselvam was elected as the Chief Minister during madam's (Jayalalithaa's) period also.

Subsequently, AIADMK leaders themselves have made him the Chief Minister. I am not his advocate to explain on his behalf," he said.

Replying to another query, Naidu said the Governor is studying the situation and is duty-bound to go by the Constitution and provide a stable government to the people of Tamil Nadu.

Naidu also clarified that BJP has no member in the Tamil Nadu assembly and there was no chance for the party to form a government there.

He said BJP does not want to fish in troubled waters of Tamil Nadu politics and dismissed as "unfair criticism" the allegation of interfering.

"We are not preparing any ground. It is their internal matter. Both the AIDMK General Secretary and Chief Minister Panneerselvam are making statements. We don't want to fish into the troubled waters," he said.