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Chennai: As Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi’s late night flip-flop fuelled a debate over the Raj Bhavan’s powers, the BJP sought to take the high moral ground in the row over DMK minister Senthil Balaji’s dismissal by highlighting Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s “doublespeak” on corruption.
BJP state chief K. Annamalai put up a tweet Friday stating that the party “reserves” its comments on the dismissal of Senthil Balaji from the Council of Ministers by Ravi.
But, Annamalai also took the opportunity to highlight that Stalin had himself sought the scalp of Senthil Balaji over corruption charges five years ago when he was the opposition leader.
BJP Tamil Nadu, for now, reserves its comments on the dismissal of Cash for Job Scam Thiru Senthil Balaji from the council of ministers by the Hon Governor of TN.
However, we want to remind TN CM Thiru @mkstalin of his doublespeak.
In 2018, the then-opposition leader demanded… pic.twitter.com/AfJ3GF6QY3
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) June 30, 2023
While the Raj Bhavan released a statement Thursday night saying Senthil Balaji’s arrest by the ED in an alleged cash-for-jobs scam was the reason for his dismissal, the Governor later issued a letter putting his order in abeyance.
“I have been advised by the Hon’ble Union Minister of Home Affairs (Amit Shah) that it would be prudent to seek the opinion of the Attorney General also. Accordingly, I am approaching the Attorney General for his opinion. Meanwhile, the order of dismissal of the minister Thiru V. Senthil Balaji may be kept in abeyance until further communication from me,” Ravi wrote in a second letter to CM M.K. Stalin.
ThePrint has a copy of the letter.
Though the BJP leadership in Tamil Nadu has always rooted for the Governor who has been at loggerheads with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government, the latest step taken by Ravi has seemingly caused embarrassment for the dispensation in Delhi.
“The Governor was given a late night pep talk by the Home Minister and was advised to seek the Attorney General’s opinion on the issue,” a senior BJP leader in Delhi told ThePrint.
“The Governor is the custodian of the Constitution, but sometimes they overlook the rule book, and go with emotion. The Governor’s premature action has given the opposition a chance to hit out at the Centre.”
In Tamil Nadu, the DMK called the Governor’s action as well as the pressure mounted on the ruling party in the state as the “BJP’s modus operandi” against the opposition-ruled states.
“These are steps to threaten political parties and to make it difficult for the government, which is from an opposition (party). It (BJP) is hoping to find some small political space through this process. They have always done this to all those opposition parties that don’t fall in line with what they say, and we are ideologically opposed to them,” DMK deputy general secretary and Lok Sabha MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi told ThePrint.
“I think it is strange that the Governor will go to this extent and behave like an extra constitutional authority without the blessings of the Union government. Maybe this is the first time they’ve distanced themselves. Otherwise, the BJP has always supported what the Governor has been doing and all that the Governors have been doing in all opposition states,” she said.
If the Governor has acted on his own accord without the approval, Kanimozhi said, the BJP then should come out and condemn it openly. “Silence is not an answer,” she asserted.
Political analyst A.S. Panneerselvan, too, said the Governor could not have gone ahead without the blessing of the Union Government. “If the Governor has taken the decision without consulting anybody, why no punitive action against the government? That’s a key question. Isn’t it? The idea of shifting everything on to the Governor; I think it is an easy way for the Union government to insulate itself,” said Panneerselvan, a fellow at Chennai’s Roja Muthiah Research Library.
In Delhi, a BJP general secretary said the party has decided to pursue the narrative of corruption against the DMK government to make headway in Tamil Nadu.
“The BJP earlier did not get traction in Tamil media for our narrative, but the continuous tour of our ministers, (and) Annamalai’s aggressive campaigning has changed our party dynamics in the state. For any election, three things are required — we have a narrative of corruption, leaders and resources with alliance partners…we can win more than 20 seats,” the senior leader said.
The larger strategy of the BJP to make inroads into the state is not just through its drive against corruption, but also drawing on Tamil culture and dynasty politics, the senior functionary added.
“The Sengol ceremony in the new Parliament, the Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam, the Saurashtra Tamil sangamam and the constant reference of Tamil writing by the Prime Minister are all part of breaking the animosity towards the BJP in Tamil Nadu,” the BJP general secretary explained.
With inputs from Shanker Arnimesh
(Edited by Tony Rai)
Also Read: Can a governor dismiss a minister? Tamil Nadu row revives debate on discretionary powers
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