The Congress on Tuesday accused the BJP-led central government of fishing in troubled waters in Tamil Nadu and demanded the state assembly's special session to test the strength of rival factions within the ruling AIADMK.
The Bharatiya Janata Party termed the Congress allegations "baseless", saying neither the party nor the central government had any role to play in the politically volatile situation in Tamil Nadu.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao should take a concrete decision in the matter.
"The BJP and the Narendra Modi government should now stop fishing in troubled waters. They and the Governor should not stand in the way of democracy but permit the will of the majority to prevail," Surjewala told reporters here.
Surjewala spoke after the Supreme Court restored the conviction and four-year jail term for AIADMK General Secretary V.K. Sasikala and two others in a disproportionate assets case, also involving late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.
Sasikala and caretaker Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam head rival factions of AIADMK contending for power in the southern state.
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With Sasikala out of contention to be the Chief Minister, her faction elected Public Works Minister Edapadi K. Palanisamy as leadedr of the legislature party.
"Irrespective of ideological differences, whosoever has the public mandate must be permitted to rule the state," the Congress leader said.
"The Governor's role, which has been circumspect in this entire episode, must now become clear and the rule of law and Constitution must prevail. For this, it is essential that the clarity on the formation of government comes as soon as possible," he said.
Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu denied that the BJP or the Centre had any role in the Tamil Nadu situation.
"We have no role to play in Tamil Nadu. The BJP has no interests there," Naidu told reporters.
Party General Secretary Ram Madhav also said that the allegations on BJP hand were baseless.
"To say that the BJP or the government of India has a hand in it (Tamil Nadu political situation) is totally false and baseless," Madhav said.
Madhav said it was not proper to raise fingers at the Governor's conduct.
Speaking in Agartala, BJP General Secretary P. Muralidhar Rao said the party was ready to help a pro-people and pro-development AIADMK government led by an honest and clean leader to come to power in Tamil Nadu.
He termed the Supreme Court verdict in a disproportionate assets case as "historic".
"This is a good opportunity for AIADMK members to introspect and choose an honest and clean leader who will work with a vision for all-round development of Tamil Nadu," said Rao, who is in charge of party affairs in the southern state.
The Supreme Court restored conviction of Sasikala, a long-time confidante of Jayalalithaa and her two relatives -- Elavarasi, the widow of Sasikala's elder brother, and V.N. Sudhakaran, a nephew who at one point of time was also former Chief Minister's foster son.
Justices Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Amitava Roy set aside a Karnataka High Court order acquitting the three and Jayalalithaa, who died on December 5.
--IANS
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