Chennai, February 17 – The Tamil Nadu unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a strong attack on the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government on Tuesday, describing the State’s interim budget for 2026-27 as a “false promise” that has allegedly plunged Tamil Nadu deeper into debt while neglecting the welfare of its citizens.
BJP spokesperson A.N.S. Prasad alleged that the budget presented by Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu under the leadership of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin lacked concrete and planned development initiatives in crucial sectors such as finance, the economy, industry, and public welfare.
He claimed that the government's repeated assertion of double-digit economic growth had not translated into tangible benefits for ordinary citizens.
According to Prasad, the growth narrative has primarily favored those within the ruling establishment, including party officials and elected representatives, while large sections of society continue to struggle.
He accused the government of failing to respond to sustained protests and demands raised over the past five years by teachers, doctors, engineers, farmers, persons with disabilities, nurses, road workers, and anganwadi staff.
The BJP leader further alleged that the budget speech was filled with self-congratulatory claims and lacked transparency on key projects.
He questioned the absence of detailed updates on the North Chennai Development Project and sought clarity on allocations for cleaning the Cooum river in Chennai.
He also criticized the government for not making specific announcements regarding the removal of encroachments from water bodies, despite repeated court observations on the issue.
Raising concerns about the State's rising debt burden, Prasad asked about the status of the expert committee reportedly formed to enhance revenue and stabilize finances. He alleged that the State was heading towards an unsustainable debt trajectory and demanded that the Chief Minister provide a clear explanation.
Calling the budget “anti-people,” the BJP maintained that the DMK government had failed to fulfill the promises made during the previous Assembly elections and had disappointed multiple sections of society.
