Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin warned Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday that he risks political isolation if he continues to govern based on his “political likes and dislikes.”
Stalin criticised Modi for favouring budgetary allocations to Bihar and Andhra Pradesh and asserted on X that while Modi might appease his allies, he cannot save the country.
The attack followed a walkout by the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, which claimed that the Centre had discriminated against other states in the Budget.
MK Stalin accused PM Modi of avenging those who "defeated you" in the Lok Sabha elections.
Stalin wrote, “You said, The election is over, now we have to think about the country.’ However, yesterday’s Budget 2024 will only save your regime, not India!”
Stalin warned that if Modi continues to govern based on political biases, he risks being isolated.
He ended his post on X with the hashtag #BJPBetraysTamilnadu.
Earlier on Tuesday, four Chief Ministers including Stalin had announced their decision to boycott the NITI Aayog meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 27, in protest against the Union Budget's neglect of their states' demands.
Stalin on Tuesday had strongly reacted to the Centre for neglecting Tamil Nadu in the Union Budget. He accused the government of favouring certain states, such as Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, for political reasons while disregarding Tamil Nadu, which significantly contributes to the country's growth. Stalin argued that this approach undermines India’s democratic and federal principles.
Speaking at the DMK headquarters, Stalin had expressed his determination to fight for Tamil Nadu’s rights, he suggested that the BJP’s neglect might be due to the DMK-led alliance’s success in the state.
Stalin highlighted that the budget traditionally aimed for uniform growth across states but claimed the 2024-25 budget deviates from this principle. He noted that while Tamil Nadu requested Rs 37,000 crore for disaster restoration, it received only Rs 276 crore, in contrast to Bihar's Rs 11,500 crore allocation for disaster prevention. He labelled this disparity as a significant injustice to Tamil Nadu.
The Chief Minister also criticised the Union Finance Minister for ignoring Tamil Nadu in the budget while copying several of the state’s schemes. He questioned why no major initiatives were announced for Tamil Nadu, even as a gesture of gratitude.