Chennai: DMK president and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin, on Wednesday slammed the TVK government’s maiden Budget, describing it as a “damp squib” that lacked originality, offered no farsighted schemes and failed to deliver on key electoral promises.
Reacting to the Revised Budget Estimates for 2026-27 presented in the Legislative Assembly, Stalin said the public had expected major announcements from the new government but had been left disappointed.
“People expected it to be a ‘blast’, but it turned out to be a ‘waste’. It is a remake of the ‘Dravidian Model’ government’s Budget,” Stalin said in a social media post, accusing the TVK administration of repackaging initiatives introduced by the previous DMK government.
Stalin alleged that the Budget had failed to address several pressing issues confronting Tamil Nadu, including the problems faced by farmers, concerns over electricity consumption billing and the rising cost of living.
He also questioned the absence of announcements on some of the major promises made by the TVK during the Assembly election campaign.
“It is completely silent on the promise of ₹2,500 for women, ₹4,000 for unemployed youth, six free LPG cylinders and a complete waiver of crop loans,” Stalin said.
The DMK chief contended that the Budget offered little in terms of a long-term development vision for the State and accused the government of failing to translate its electoral assurances into concrete financial commitments.
Leader of the Opposition and former Deputy Chief Minister, Udhayanidhi Stalin, also criticised the Budget, alleging that several schemes launched by the previous DMK government had merely been renamed by the TVK administration.
Speaking to journalists at the Secretariat in Chennai after the Budget presentation, Udhayanidhi said the government had attempted to project existing initiatives as new programmes instead of introducing substantial schemes of its own.
He said the DMK would closely scrutinise the Budget proposals and raise issues concerning the government’s unfulfilled electoral commitments during the Assembly proceedings.
Udhayanidhi also referred to his detention by police on Tuesday in connection with a case registered following remarks he allegedly made during a protest in Thanjavur allegedly related to actress Trisha.
The DMK has accused the government of using the police action to prevent the Opposition leader from effectively raising issues against the administration ahead of the Budget session.
The criticism from the DMK leadership came shortly after the TVK government presented its first Budget, setting the stage for a heated political debate over its spending priorities, welfare commitments and development agenda.
(IANS)
