The opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Wednesday attacked the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) over its maiden Budget, alleging that the government had merely put a “sticker” on schemes introduced by the previous DMK regime instead of offering a new vision.
Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin also took a swipe at chief minister C Joseph Vijay over the review meetings he held with various government departments over the past 10 days.
Flanked by senior DMK legislators, Udhayanidhi arrived at the Assembly before finance minister N Marie Wilson began presenting the Budget. After Wilson’s speech, which lasted more than two-and-a-half hours, Speaker J C D Prabhakar adjourned the House for the day. The Assembly will reconvene on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters outside the Secretariat, Udhayanidhi said, “If you look at this budget, whatever schemes were brought during our DMK period—whatever schemes our Dravida Model government brought—they have simply pasted a sticker over them.”
“When coming to power, they promised ‘change’, but if you ask what change has happened now, it is merely a name change,” he quipped.
Targeting Vijay, Udhayanidhi said review meetings with officials were routine for any chief minister, but accused the TVK government of using them as publicity exercises.
{{/usCountry}}Targeting Vijay, Udhayanidhi said review meetings with officials were routine for any chief minister, but accused the TVK government of using them as publicity exercises.
{{/usCountry}}“However, he conducted a photoshoot and released those photos. Why did you conduct a review meeting with officials if you are just going to change the names of schemes introduced by our Dravida Model government?” he asked.
Referring to the Thaaimaman Thanga Thittam (maternal uncle gold scheme), Udhayanidhi alleged that the government had diluted its poll promise.
“During campaign speeches, the promise was that a gold ring scheme would apply to all children born in Tamil Nadu. But in today’s budget, they announced that this scheme applies only to babies born in government hospitals,” he said.
In a statement, DMK president M K Stalin said the Budget ignored issues faced by farmers and the uncertainty over electricity tariffs, while failing to announce any new visionary projects for the state.
“If we were to explain today’s Budget that was read out in the Assembly in a language that the chief minister who is keen on taking social media reels understand -- people expected it to be a ‘Blast Blast’. But, it (budget) turns out to be a ‘Waste Waste’!” he said.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said the Budget lacked a clear roadmap to address the state’s financial challenges.
“If you look at the overall debt, it stands at ₹10.98 lakh crore. In this short period since the TVK government assumed office, they have taken ₹20,000 crore in debt and spent ₹17,000 crore. How this is possible?” he asked.
Speaking to reporters, Palaniswami said the Budget did not explain how the existing debt would be repaid or how the government planned to fund major projects without generating additional revenue.
“There is no explanation for all this (in the budget),” he said.
He also described the Budget as a modified version of those presented by the previous DMK government.
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president B Manickam Tagore described the Budget as “historic”, saying it had been prepared to fulfil poll promises despite severe financial constraints.
The Congress entered into a post-poll alliance with the ruling TVK in May and, after a gap of 59 years, has two MLAs serving as ministers in the Vijay-led cabinet.
Welcoming the government’s efforts to improve the state’s finances, Tagore highlighted the decision to constitute a five-member committee headed by former Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia.
In a statement, he said, “I welcome and appreciate the TVK government’s financial status report, which aims to boost Tamil Nadu’s growth and employment opportunities.”
State BJP chief spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy termed the Budget a failure of “economic vision.”
“After correctly diagnosing the state’s crippling debt burden and structural deficits, the government has chosen consumption over creation,” he said.
Instead of prioritising income-generating investments and infrastructure to expand the state’s productive base, the government had focused on gold coins for brides, gold rings for newborns, loan waivers and welfare measures, he alleged.
“These measures may deliver short-term political gains, but they create no lasting jobs, no new industries and no durable assets,” he said.
“In a high debt environment, this is not just populism - it is a refusal to build the economic engine that Tamil Nadu needs.”
Thirupathy added that the state’s goal of becoming a USD 1.5 trillion economy could not be achieved through welfare measures alone.
“The USD 1.5 trillion ambition cannot be achieved by giving away gold and writing off loans. It requires sustained investment in physical and human capital that raises productivity and incomes. This budget fails that basic test,” he said.
Finance minister N Marie Wilson presented the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government’s maiden Budget in the Assembly on Wednesday.