Girish Chodankar, the AICC in-charge for Tamil Nadu, accused Governor Rajendra Arlekar of blocking the formation of a TVK-led government [1, 2].
The dispute highlights a deepening conflict over the democratic mandate in Tamil Nadu, as the Congress party suggests the state's constitutional head is acting on behalf of the central government rather than the voters.
Chodankar said the governor is ignoring the public mandate and is instead acting under the influence of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) [1, 2]. He said top BJP leadership are the primary drivers of the governor's current actions [2].
"He is only listening to BJP, Amit Shah and PM Modi," Chodankar said [2].
According to Chodankar, Governor Arlekar is bowing to pressure from the BJP instead of upholding the constitution [1, 2]. This political friction comes as the Congress party faces internal and external pressure regarding its alliance strategies in the region [1].
Chodankar said the process of forming a government should reflect the will of the people. "We must respect the public's mandate for change," he said [1].
The accusation suggests that the governor is intentionally stalling the TVK's path to power to serve the interests of the ruling party at the national level [1, 2].
“"He is only listening to BJP, Amit Shah and PM Modi."”
This confrontation signals a volatile shift in Tamil Nadu's political landscape, where the Congress party is now publicly aligning its rhetoric with the TVK's claims to power. By accusing the governor of partisan bias, Congress is attempting to distance itself from the perceived rigidity of the establishment and position itself as a defender of the popular mandate against central BJP influence.
