Post-Jayalalithaa crisis handled extremely well: Ex-Guv Vidyasagar Rao

Chennai: The 13 months that he had spent at the Raj Bhavan in Chennai were “essentially the most critical” in the political history of Tamil Nadu and its people, said former Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, adding with satisfsaction: “To the credit of the political leadership, the state administration and the state police, the situation was handled extremely well”.

Speaking at the function where Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu released his book ‘Those Eventful Days’ and commissioned the solar power plant he had initiated, Rao said things in Tamil Nadu were “perfectly normal” until Jayalalithaa’s hospitalisation on 22 September 2016. After that, many political developments broke out and the situation became “very delicate” after her demise, he recalled.

He said he had “always supported the government whenever the Chief Minister approached me for advice”. Besides having “highest regards” for Jayalalithaa, he also enjoyed “excellent relations” with AIADMK leaders.

“There were occasions when the Opposition leaders disagreed with me. But they never disrespected me. Leaders from different political parties also met me and I had cordial relations with each one of them”, Rao said.

Paying rich tributes to the state’s media, which he said “is the most dynamic” in the country, that watched, scrutinised and commented upon every action of his, he said he quite often picked solutions to some of the trickiest situations just by reading newspaper editorials. “I am especially thankful to the media for upholding the best traditions of democracy and journalism”, said the Maharashtra Governor.