The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) staged protests in Salem and Namakkal against Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and the BJP on Friday (May 8).

As part of the state-wide protest against the BJP and the Governor over the delay in inviting the TVK to form government in Tamil Nadu, Congress activists led by Salem Deputy Mayor M. Saradha Devi gathered at Fort Maiden and raised slogans against the Governor. They also blew the whistle (symbol of the TVK) and demanded that the Governor invite TVK chief C. Joseph Vijay to form the government.

Following the information that the Congress and the TVK cadres will protest at Salem Collectrate in support of Mr. Vijay, a posse of police personnel was deployed at the collectorate for security reasons.

Likewise at Tiruchengode, Congress cadre led by Namakkal West District Congress president Sathish Kumar gathered near the Anna statue and raised slogans against the BJP and the Governor.

The Congress functionaries said the TVK is the single largest party and with Congress, it got 113 seats. So as per the Constitution, the Governor should invite Mr. Vijay to form the government. The majority should be proven in the Assembly and not in Lok Bhavan. If the present situation continues, the Congress would conduct a series of protests in the coming days, they added.

In these protests, over 300 cadre participated.

Likewise, at the Tiruchengode Chinna Onkaliamman temple, on behalf of the TVK, over 100 women prepared pongal in the temple and conducted a special pooja in support of Mr. Vijay.