CHENNAI: Distancing itself from the fast-evolving political developments in the State, the BJP on Friday declared that it would neither participate in nor support any attempt to form a government, asserting that the people had not given the party a mandate for power.
Amid the continuing uncertainty, BJP national general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh said the question of who would eventually form the government remained open. "Only time will tell who will form the government. But one thing is certain, the Congress will end up with egg on its face," he remarked.
BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran said the party had accepted the Assembly election verdict wholeheartedly and would remain outside the ongoing political manoeuvring triggered by the fractured mandate.
Stressing that the BJP respected the people's verdict, Nainar Nagenthran said the party did not wish to associate itself with any exercise aimed at government formation.
"We do not want to play any direct role in any effort to form the government. We also wish to make it clear that we will not vote in favour of any party involved in such an attempt," he said.
The meeting, chaired by Nainar Nagenthran, reviewed the election results, reasons behind the party's performance, the extraordinary political situation surrounding government formation and the emergence of C Joseph Vijay as a major force in the electoral landscape. BJP leaders also felicitated Bhojarajan, the party's winning candidate from the Udhagamandalam Assembly constituency.
Meanwhile, BJP State chief spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy accused the Congress of remaining a silent spectator during the DMK regime despite allegations relating to crimes against women, law and order and the drug menace, and charged the ruling party with attempting to shift blame onto the BJP and Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar amid the post-poll turmoil.