CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday slammed his Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and accused him of bargaining and blackmailing over a remark linking sanction for the Madurai Metro Rail project to the election of a BJP MLA.
"Is it the job of the Maharashtra Chief Minister to bargain and blackmail by saying that Madurai will get a Metro project only if a BJP MLA is elected?", Stalin said, in a post on X.
He also sought to know whether it was appropriate for Fadnavis to make such remarks in an opposition ruled State.
"A Chief Minister who took an oath on the Constitution should be ashamed to come to an opposition-ruled state and speak like this", he said.
The Chief Minister further said that such remarks undermine constitutional values and federal principles, especially when made in another state. Stalin asked whether the Maharashtra Chief Minister knew how many landmark projects the Tamil Nadu government was implementing despite the Union government's neglect in funding allocation.
"If he doesn't know, he should ask, find out and then talk," he added. "It should be remembered that beyond the 'dabba engine' states, which you call the double engine, the Dravidian Model governance in Tamil Nadu has achieved double-digit economic growth", Stalin pointed out.
It may be noted that Fadnavis said that once the Madurai BJP candidate won in the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Metro project would be brought to the Temple city.