DMK, AIADMK slam Union Budget for ignoring Tamil Nadu

CM Stalin questioned the need for 'union' budget if the funds and schemes are only for poll-bound states or BJP's allies.
Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin.
Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin.(File Photo)
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CHENNAI: Two Dravidian majors — the ruling DMK and the principal opposition AIADMK — struck the same note on Saturday in their attack on the BJP-led government, both alleging that Tamil Nadu was ignored in the Union Budget 2025-26.

Chief Minister MK Stalin questioned the need to call it the “union” budget if funds and schemes are to be announced only for the states where elections are imminent or where the BJP or its allies are in power.

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami too said that, considering the forthcoming elections in Bihar, many developmental schemes have been announced only for that state. “Instead of calling this a Union Budget, it is better to call it the budget for Bihar since there are no special schemes for states like Tamil Nadu,” he added.

Stalin, in his post on X, said despite Tamil Nadu placing numerous demands, the Centre did not find it fit to include even one of them in the budget. “Does the Union Budget always mean betrayal to Tamil Nadu? Even the name Tamil Nadu does not find a mention in it regularly,” he said.

Both leaders expressed disappointment over the absence of announcements regarding highly-anticipated projects, including the metro rail for Coimbatore and Madurai. “What prevents (the Centre) from giving these to Tamil Nadu?” Stalin asked.

The CM also said Tamil Nadu is at the forefront on many parameters in the economic survey, Niti Aayog’s reports and the ranking of higher education institutions. “Tamil Nadu’s measures are given certificates of appreciation page after page (in these reports). However, when it comes to Union Budget, why is Tamil Nadu completely ignored?” Stalin exclaimed.

“Should the Union government not show a fraction of interest in allocating funds to Tamil Nadu as it shows in imposing unacceptable policies and language on the state?” Stalin asked.

The CM charged that the BJP-led government, which is “obsessed with getting publicity”, has failed to release funds that are due to the state if the Union government’s symbol is not included in the project advertisements, even if the projects are implemented properly.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu, in a post on X, said, “Tamil Nadu, a state consistently at the forefront of national growth, is disappointed by the budget, which fails to acknowledge its contributions, as detailed in the Economic Survey 2025. While lesser-contributing states gain disproportionately, Tamil Nadu’s development needs remain unmet.”

As Tamil Nadu is a water-deficit state, Palaniswami expressed concern over the absence of any announcement about river-linking projects for the state or to utilise the surplus water to increase agricultural productivity.

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