CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Thursday witnessed acrimonious exchanges between the ruling DMK and the opposition AIADMK over the alleged failure to fulfil electoral promises, the State's debt burden and claims of investment inflows, during the debate on the Governor's address.
Opening the discussion, AIADMK legislator and former minister P Thangamani alleged that Tamil Nadu had emerged as the number one State in debt under the DMK government led by Chief Minister MK Stalin.
Accusing the ruling party of reneging on its 2021 manifesto, he said, "You promised to reduce petrol prices by Rs 5 per litre, announced a Rs 100 subsidy for LPG connections and assured the abolition of NEET. None of these promises has been fulfilled."
Describing the Governor's address as misleading, Thangamani claimed the State had turned into an agitation State, with government employees and several other sections repeatedly resorting to protests.
PWD and Highways Minister EV Velu intervened, conceding that a few commitments could not be implemented due to financial constraints but asserted that "over 90 per cent of our poll promises have been fulfilled". Countering the AIADMK over its own unfulfilled assurances when it was in power, the minister asserted that "Several welfare measures, which were not even announced, have been implemented in the last four-and-a-half years."
Joining the debate, Chief Minister Stalin said his government had addressed most long-pending demands of government employees. "I will not claim that 100 per cent of their problems have been resolved, but I can say that 95 to 99 per cent have been resolved," he said, accusing the previous AIADMK regime of arresting employees under the Tamil Nadu Essential Services Maintenance Act (TESMA).
Leader of the Opposition and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami countered by asking what had happened to the demand for the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). Stalin replied that a 23-year-old issue had been resolved and that employee representatives had expressed their satisfaction.
The debate later shifted to investments, with Thangamani questioning the government's claim of attracting Rs 12 lakh crore and citing instances of major companies choosing other States. Industries Minister TRB Rajaa rejected the charge, asserting that Tamil Nadu remained a leading manufacturing destination.
"At the 2024 Global Investors Meet, 526 of the 631 MoUs signed have already gone into production, translating into an 83 per cent conversion rate," he said, adding that job creation, particularly in electronics manufacturing, had seen significant growth. Palaniswami demanded a white paper on investments and employment generation.
Sparks also flew over changes to the VB-G RAM G, replacement for MGNREGS, with the DMK accusing the Centre of reducing man-days and altering the funding pattern. Stalin announced that a resolution opposing the changes would be moved in the Assembly on Friday.