BJP state president K Annamalai has labeled Chief Minister MK Stalin’s decision to boycott the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting as “theatrical.” The Chief Minister’s boycott is based on the claim that the Union Budget did not specifically mention Tamil Nadu.

Annamalai accused CM Stalin of misleading the public into believing that only states mentioned in the Budget speech would receive benefits. He highlighted that the previous Congress-DMK UPA government, between 2004 and 2014, had also failed to mention Tamil Nadu in six budget speeches. He questioned if CM Stalin is implying that no schemes were provided to Tamil Nadu during those years.

Additionally, Annamalai pointed out that under the BJP government from 2014 to 2024, Tamil Nadu has received ten times more through budget announcements than in the UPA years. He questioned the rationale behind Stalin’s boycott, suggesting it undermines efforts to address state needs through the NITI Aayog platform.

Annamalai urged CM Stalin to abandon what he described as “empty theatrics” aimed at self-promotion and instead focus on constructive politics for Tamil Nadu’s development. He criticized DMK MPs for failing to address constituency-related issues in Parliament over the past five years, despite being elected to do so.

TN BJP spokesperson ANS Prasad also criticized CM Stalin’s decision, calling it a betrayal to Tamil Nadu. Prasad suggested that Stalin’s move is a drama intended to show loyalty to the Congress and to paint the Modi government as anti-Tamil Nadu. He emphasized that the Centre is willing to allocate sufficient funds for the state, and the boycott undermines these efforts.

In summary, BJP leaders Annamalai and Prasad view CM Stalin’s boycott of the NITI Aayog meeting as a politically motivated act that does not serve the best interests of Tamil Nadu. They call for more constructive engagement with the Centre to ensure the state’s development.