Terming as "surprising" Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao's remarks stating that the allocation of portfolios held by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to Finance Minister O Panneerselvam was done "as per her advice,” DMK chief M Karunanidhi today questioned if she signed the file and rendered advice.
"This is because a question has arisen among some people if Jayalalithaa had (actually) signed the file and rendered advice (regarding) allotting her portfolios to Finance Minister Panneerselvam," Karunanidhi said in a statement here.
His views come a day after his party treasurer and son M K Stalin welcomed the allocation of portfolios held by Jayalalithaa to her trusted aide.
A press release by the Raj Bhavan yesterday said, "Under Clause (3) of Article 166 of the Constitution of India, the Governor of Tamil Nadu today allocated the subjects hitherto dealt by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to O Paneerselvam."
"This arrangement has been made as per the advice of the Chief Minister and will continue until the Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa resumes her duties," it said, adding that "Jayalalithaa will continue to be the Chief Minister."
Karunanidhi claimed that when a slew of leaders, including Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu and Stalin, visited the hospital, "they were not given the opportunity to directly see her and enquire about her health".
There was no official statement from the government though she has been hospitalised for the past 19 days and it has also been said that she may have to stay in the hospital for a longer period, he said.
He said the announcement that Panneerselvam will take care of Jayalalithaa's portfolios can be "accepted" as an arrangement for "administrative convenience".
The "suspicion whether the Governor had fully considered all the dimensions of the Constitution...before giving his nod for the new arrangement cannot be fully ignored," he added.
He recalled his earlier view that "till such time Chief Minister Jayalalithaa resumes her duties, our plea is that an appropriate, legal arrangement should be made to fulfil the essential needs of the Tamil Nadu people".
(With PTI inputs)
