AIADMK says budget used as vote bank tool; ruling party hits back citing welfare schemes

CHENNAI: A heated debate broke out between the treasury bench and the opposition AIADMK in the Assembly over the budget on Monday, triggered by Veppanahalli MLA and former minister KP Munusamy’s remark that the budget for the fiscal year 2025-2026 was designed to attract young voters in favour of the ruling party.

Taking offence at this remark, Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu fired back, accusing the AIADMK legislator of demeaning the government’s housing schemes for Sri Lankan Tamils, monthly aid for orphaned children, and various other social welfare initiatives that were devised to benefit the State’s future.

The debate prompted Chief Minister M K Stalin, his cabinet colleague EV Velu and Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami and expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam indulge in a war of words, keeping the floor of the Assembly on fire close to 20 minutes.

Legislators from the treasury bench argued that, unlike the previous AIADMK regime, which compromised itself on many policies and issues to secure funds from the Union government, the DMK regime is fighting for the State’s rights. As a result, the Union Government is withholding funds for the state, which further adds to the State’s financial burden, said the Finance Minister while responding to AIADMK legislator KP Munusamy.

Meanwhile, appreciating the aspiration of TN government to turn the State into a $1 trillion dollar economy, Munusamy questioned how it could achieve the target if it continued with the estimated growth rate of 14.5%. He pointed out that the State’s debt had soared from Rs 5 lakh crore in 2021 to Rs 9 lakh crore, despite the government’s enhanced revenue.

Thennarasu intervened, stating that one should not focus solely on the absolute numbers or the rupee terms when it comes to loans and added that the correct approach is to assess this in relation to the size of the budget. As the second-largest economy in the country, the State government is availing loans within the permissible limit of 28% and currently, the state is availing loans only up to 26% of its GDP, he argued.

In response to Munusamy’s remark that the budget was designed to attract young voters by reviving the laptop scheme for 20 lakh students and other schemes targeting college students, the Finance Minister said that his government had launched housing schemes for Sri Lankan Tamils and successfully implemented them. The government also announced a monthly aid of Rs 2,000 for orphaned children until they turn 18. “Are these schemes aimed at votes, or is the AIADMK MLA demeaning these initiatives?” he questioned.

The CM joined the debate and asked whether the AIADMK legislator viewed former CM M G Ramachandran’s noon meal scheme in the same manner. This prompted Palaniswami to join the debate and questioned why the laptop scheme had not been implemented in the last four years.

In response, Stalin said that it was the AIADMK government that had halted the scheme, and now they were reviving it. “We are committed to serving all sections of society. We never design a scheme based on who voted for us or not. In fact, I made it clear that our government will serve everyone, even those who did not vote for us, so they will regret not doing so. We are sticking to that,” he asserted.

In a surprising move, expelled AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam joined Palaniswami in the debate and questioned the Finance Minister on whether the funds were being utilised constructively. The minister responded that social welfare schemes should not be viewed merely as expenditure but as investments in the future of the state.

PWD Minister EV Velu defended that the DMK “government is spending nearly 45% of the funds on schemes announced by the AIADMK regime,” he stated.