Stalin must answer for unspent funds and fiscal management: TN BJP

Chennai, Oct 18 Tamil Nadu BJP leader and former state president, K. Annamalai, on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the DMK government, accusing it of large-scale financial mismanagement and failure to deliver on election promises.

Citing the Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) 2023–24 report, he demanded that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin respond to serious lapses in governance and public accountability.

In a strongly worded statement, Annamalai alleged that the state government failed to utilise Rs 14,808 crore allocated for 1,540 projects during 2023–24.

“The funds were left unspent and wasted. Why were these projects not implemented despite the money being sanctioned?” he asked.

He further claimed that of the Rs 1,985 crore collected as electricity tax from the public during 2023–24, the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) did not remit Rs 507 crore to the Consolidated Fund.

“Why did TANGEDCO withhold this amount, and where has it gone?” he questioned.

The BJP leader also pointed out that between 2021–22 and 2023–24, the state received Rs 28,024 crore as GST compensation from the Union government.

According to the recommendation of the State Planning Commission, 10 per cent of this amount was to be transferred to local bodies.

“The DMK government has completely ignored this recommendation. Why was the amount not allocated to strengthen local self-governance?” he asked.

Accusing the DMK of betraying public trust, Annamalai said the ruling party had made 511 poll promises to capture power, apart from issuing separate commitments for each district.

“Not even 10 per cent of those promises have been fulfilled. Does the Chief Minister have the courage to face the 2026 Assembly elections after deceiving the people?” he said.

He also charged the government with worsening the state’s fiscal situation.

“Before coming to power, the DMK promised to reduce Tamil Nadu’s debt. But in the past four years alone, it has borrowed Rs 5 lakh crore more. Why this reckless borrowing?”

Taking a swipe at the DMK’s silence on corruption in central government schemes, Annamalai said, “Why is the DMK maintaining a fake silence and protecting the corrupt? Will the Chief Minister dare to answer these questions?”

He concluded by remarking, “Next time the DMK faces humiliation in court or before the people, instead of reviving sixty-year-old stories, they should try thinking of new ideas.”

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