Stalin: Centre Gave Tamil Nadu Zero In Budget, Give NDA Zero Votes

DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday accused the BJP-led central government of allocating nothing to the state in the recent Union Budget, urging voters to respond by giving zero seats to the NDA alliance in the April Assembly elections.

According to PTI, Stalin made these remarks while addressing the southern regional meeting of the DMK youth wing office-bearers, where he highlighted his government's flagship schemes such as the Rs 1,000 monthly assistance to women and fare-free bus travel for women. He described Tamil Nadu as the leading state in national rankings but said it received no support from the Centre despite its position.

"We expected that they will do some election stunt eyeing the Assembly polls. They did not even do that," Stalin said. Assembly elections are scheduled in Tamil Nadu for April 2026.

Stalin listed the state's demands, including funds for education, new railway projects, a 50 per cent tax share, exemption from NEET, and completion of the Madurai AIIMS project. "We are seeking these from the Centre; but what they have given us is zero," he said. "Hence, we must give them back the same thing in the election. Not only the BJP, the entire NDA must get only zero, exactly similar to what they got in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls."

PTI reported that Stalin targeted Edappadi K Palaniswami, the leader of the opposition and AIADMK chief, accusing him of failing to challenge the Centre over the budget allocations and instead acting as the BJP's "branch secretary". "Palaniswami has now fully transformed into NDA Palaniswami and he is lamenting that he heads the alliance in Tamil Nadu," Stalin said.

The chief minister also criticised the AIADMK for supporting the new rural jobs law and promising to increase workdays to 150 if elected, using a colloquial phrase to suggest Palaniswami was "more loyal than the king". Palaniswami had earlier pledged to raise the working days from 125 to 150 and enhance wages if his party wins.

Stalin alleged that the NDA alliance in Tamil Nadu, led by the AIADMK, was not focused on public welfare but resembled a "musical chair" game, with leaders returning after quitting. "The 2026 Assembly election is Tamil Nadu versus NDA. We must make Tamil Nadu win the polls," he said. He added that defeats were routine for the BJP in the state, predicting a strong victory for the DMK-led alliance and a defeat for the AIADMK-BJP coalition.

In a video message welcoming cadres to the conference, Stalin emphasised the party's ideology and principles. "What are our basic principles? These are social justice, self-respect, state autonomy, love for the language (mother tongue) and racial sentiment (Tamil ethnic belonging/solidarity)," he asserted.

Reported PTI, the DMK has previously criticised fans of actor-turned-politician Vijay for lacking ideological commitment. On protecting Tamil, Stalin said: "Whenever our mother tongue Tamil was threatened during various periods, we have fought fiercely and prevented it. However, under the name of the 3-language policy, the danger of imposing the Hindi language still hangs over our heads like a suspended sword even today! They (BJP-led Centre) believe that if the language is destroyed, they can destroy our identity! We need you to defeat it."

Discussing social justice, he asked if the current generation's grandparents had access to education. "We were kept out of bounds of education and we did not get job opportunities and this injustice was defeated through reservation and social justice was established. However, now, with exams like NEET they are trying to create old methods of injustice and ours is the only party that has the capability to stop it and you are needed in this mission," Stalin said.

On state autonomy, he noted that India is a union of states and the DMK has advocated for federalism. He recalled that chief ministers once could not hoist the national flag on Independence Day. "There were several other issues. The situation was changed to an extent through struggle to make states get power. It was the DMK that demonstrated for the first time that state-based parties could capture power at the Centre. Do not forget this. Not only for Tamil Nadu, we secured rights for all the states in India. Now powers are being centralised. They are desperate to transform states into municipalities and the BJP is working to decimate state parties. However, Tamil Nadu is the only state they cannot touch. To protect this, you are needed," he said.

Stalin further elaborated on principles like self-respect and encouraged youth wing members to improve language skills alongside their affection for Tamil and pursue personality development.

(With inputs from PTI)