CHENNAI – The political impasse in Tamil Nadu has escalated into a national constitutional debate, with senior Congress leader and Supreme Court advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi launching a scathing attack on Governor RV Arlekar. Singhvi accused the Governor of acting as a “puppet” of the Central government by refusing to invite superstar-turned-politician Vijay to form the government despite his party emerging as the single largest entity.
The Numbers Game
In a stunning electoral debut last month, Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) swept 108 of the 234 seats in the Assembly. While the party fell 10 seats short of a simple majority (118), it remains the clear frontrunner.
The Congress, which holds five seats, has already extended its support to the TVK, bringing Vijay’s tally to 113. However, Governor Arlekar has sparked controversy by demanding that Vijay produce physical letters of support from 118 MLAs before being sworn in—a move critics argue bypasses established constitutional norms.
“Deplorable and Unprecedented”
Speaking to NDTV, Singhvi did not mince words, describing the Governor’s conduct as a “distortion” of democracy.
“This is the single largest party… there is no other claimant,” Singhvi stated. “The Governor issues a press note saying he is ‘not satisfied.’ What happened to the constitutional safeguard where a leader proves their majority on the floor of the House within 10 or 15 days?”
Singhvi drew a historical parallel to the 1996 Lok Sabha elections, noting that President Shankar Dayal Sharma invited Atal Bihari Vajpayee to form the government despite the BJP being 111 seats short of a majority.
“Vajpayee was a gentleman; he resigned after 13 days when he couldn’t prove his numbers. Why is this Governor ignoring that precedent? It is either ignorance of the law or dictation from the Centre,” Singhvi added.
Allegations of “Puppet” Politics
The Congress leader further alleged that the delay is a calculated political move by the BJP. Despite winning only one seat in the state, Singhvi claims the BJP is using the Governor to create a stalemate, potentially forcing Vijay to depend on the AIADMK or paving the way for President’s Rule.
“Discretion does not mean helping the ruling party at the Centre. It does not mean sitting on things to create a stalemate,” Singhvi asserted, referencing past frictions between the previous DMK-led government and former Governor RN Ravi.
What Lies Ahead?
The face-off enters its third day this Friday. While the TVK initially expressed hope for a direct resolution, sources suggest the party is now seriously considering moving the court to challenge the Governor’s “satisfaction” requirement.
The deadlock could be broken if smaller groups, such as the Left front or the VCK, decide to back Vijay. Until then, Tamil Nadu remains in a state of high-stakes political limbo, with the Governor’s office firmly in the eye of the storm.
