I am not a rubberstamp Governor; CM should not be a dictator: Tamilisai

Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundarajan has said that disagreements between a state governor and its “duly elected” chief minister will only affect the state’s well-being. Chief ministers should not “exceed the brief and act like dictators”, she said.

“Telangana is an example of what happens when the governor and the chief minister are in disagreement, resulting in the people’s well being getting affected. Puducherry is an example of how much the people will benefit if the governor and chief minister cherish cordial ties between them. Both are two extremes,” Tamilisai said.

The Governor was speaking after releasing coffee table books titled One among and amongst the people and A year of positivity at a function in Chennai.

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“My only regret is that democratically elected chief ministers should not become dictators,” the Governor said.

There has been continous friction between Tamilisai and  Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekar Rao. “The problem cropped up when I refused to approve the person recommended by the CM for the MLC post. I am not a rubber stamp governor to affix my signature wherever the CM directs. There are some shortcomings against that person and I refused to appoint him as MLC. This is the root cause of all problems. A democratically-elected Chief Minister is trying to act as a dictator,” said the Governor.

On reports of her transfer from Telangana, perhaps because the state needs a ‘strong’ governor, she said: “Do they think women are not strong? I challenge them: There can be no stronger governor than me. I can manage anything. No one could have faced what I have faced.”

Praja darbar charges

The governor’s remarks come in the wake of her persistent charge that bureaucrats are not attending her ‘Praja Darbar’ and also the latest development in Tamil Nadu, where the government has expressed displeasure with the governor for not forwarding the anti-NEET Bill for Presidential assent.

Before Tamilisai’s elevation as the governor of Telangana, she had faced criticism while serving as president of Tamil Nadu BJP, but she had remained unfazed then.

“I kept my doors open for the party members to meet and discuss issues with me. Now as governor, it is becoming a wee bit difficult to coolly pocket criticism because when I keep the doors of Raj Bhavan open for Praja Darbar, it is becoming problem to someone,” she said.

“One should view high positions in life as an occasion to serve the people by being one among them,” Tamilisai said, adding that she preferred to be one among the people to serve them.

She further said that her recent visit to the national capital was adversely criticised and talks that she would be transferred made rounds.

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“But the truth is, I had been to Delhi to attend the marriage function in the family of Dr. Jitendra Singhji (Union Minister of State for Science and Technology),” the Governor said. “It is strange that people watched only to criticise,” she added.

“One should always strive to be in the position, which remains forever in the heart of the people,” Tamilisai said, adding that one who has worked with the Chief Ministers of Telangana and Puducherry “can work anywhere in the country, even in Tamil Nadu”.