Economy witnessed manifold gains under PM Modi, reducing it to GDP growth correlation myopic: Annamalai slams Chidambaram
In a social media post, Annamalai underscored that under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, India's GDP has nearly touched the $4 trillion mark.
BJP national general council member K Annamalai
CHENNAI: In a strong rebuttal to former Union Finance Minister and veteran Congress leader P Chidambaram, BJP state president K Annamalai on Monday highlighted the Narendra Modi-led government's transformative strides in economic growth and infrastructure development, particularly in Tamil Nadu.
Responding to Chidambaram's recent criticism of the Union Government's railway budget and digital economy, Annamalai said, "The following might be a bitter pill for Chidambaram, who once dismissed the potential of digital payments in rural India. The success of India's digital economy stands as a testament to visionary leadership and bold reforms."
In a social media post, Annamalai underscored that under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, India's GDP has nearly touched the $4 trillion mark.
"It took the Congress 60 years to bring India's economy to the $1 trillion milestone, which we only reached in 2007," he said.
Challenging Chidambaram's dismissal of increased railway allocations as mere GDP growth correlation, Annamalai said, "Between 2009 and 2014, Tamil Nadu received an average railway budget of Rs 900 crore. For FY 2025–26, it stands at Rs 6,626 crore — a 20% compounded annual growth rate, far above the GDP trajectory."
He also pointed out that capital expenditure for Indian Railways has surged from Rs 45,980 crore in 2013–14 to a record Rs 2.6 lakh crore today.
Further, the former IPS officer drew attention to the sharp rise in central devolution and grants to Tamil Nadu.
"From Rs 1.52 lakh crore during the UPA era, it has soared to over Rs 6.21 lakh crore under Modi — a growth of 307%. In 2013–14, the State received Rs 15,853 crore; in 2024–25, it is Rs 52,491 crore," Annamalai noted.
He also took a jibe at the Congress-led UPA's modest increase in states' share of the divisible pool — from 30.5% to 32% — contrasting it with the Modi government's leap to 42%, calling it "slow clap-worthy generosity."
