If Tamil Nadu implemented all the schemes brought in by the Centre, it will not need a separate Budget at all, State BJP president K. Annamalai said on Friday.
Mr. Annamalai led a protest in the city against the Budget presented in the Assembly last week. Incidentally, BJP legislator Vanathi Srinivasan had praised certain aspects of the Budget in her speech during a debate on the topic in the Assembly.
Mr. Annamalai accused Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan of lying when he stated that Tamil Nadu had GST dues of ₹16,500 crore yet to be paid by the Centre. “But he himself has made it clear in the Budget that the dues were only ₹6,500 crore,” the BJP leader said.
He also said the DMK’s poll promises of an education loan waiver, a jewellery loan waiver, petrol and diesel subsidy (The government had earlier waived ₹3 per litre of petrol), and a gas subsidy of ₹100 did not figure in the Budget. “They also dropped the gold for marriage scheme and replaced it with a financial assistance of ₹1,000 per month to girl students,” he said.
Mr. Annamalai said Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s visit to Dubai was a “family affair”, and would benefit only a few persons in the DMK. “The Dubai World Expo began last year. But one year later, and with just one week until it ends on March 31, the Chief Minister says he is going to inaugurate Tamil Nadu pavilions,” he said.
