By: The Trek News Desk
Political tensions resurfaced in Tamil Nadu on Friday (January 23, 2026) as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit the State, with Chief Minister and DMK president M.K. Stalin sharply criticising the Centre over unresolved financial and administrative issues. Stalin alleged that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) had repeatedly let down Tamil Nadu and asserted that the State would continue to pose a major political challenge to the ruling coalition at the Centre.
In a social media post issued ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit, Stalin accused Modi of visiting Tamil Nadu mainly during election periods. His remarks came in response to a tweet by the Prime Minister claiming that “Tamil Nadu is with the NDA.”
In his post, PM Modi said he would be addressing an NDA rally in Madhuranthakam later in the day and claimed that the people of Tamil Nadu were ready to “bid farewell” to what he described as the corrupt DMK government. He further stated that the NDA’s governance record and its focus on regional aspirations were resonating with voters in the State.
Rejecting these assertions, Chief Minister Stalin raised a series of pointed questions directed at the Centre. He demanded to know when Tamil Nadu would receive its pending ₹3,458 crore under the Samagra Shiksha scheme. He also sought assurances that there would be no reduction in the State’s parliamentary constituencies during the delimitation exercise and called for an end to what he termed the Governor R.N. Ravi’s political interference.
Stalin further questioned when the Centre would release funds due to Tamil Nadu, despite its repeated claims of prioritising the Tamil language and culture. He also pressed for clarity on the continuation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and called for the withdrawal of the Centre’s Viksit Bharat–Gramin Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission, arguing that it shifts financial responsibility to the States and weakens livelihood opportunities.
The Chief Minister also targeted delays in major infrastructure and development projects. He asked when the long-pending All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) project in Madurai would finally become a reality, and when funds sought for natural disaster relief would be released. Stalin further demanded approvals for the Hosur airport project, metro rail projects in Madurai and Coimbatore, and the publication of the Keeladi excavation report. He reiterated Tamil Nadu’s long-standing demand for exemption from the NEET examination for undergraduate medical admissions.
Stalin said these issues reflect the rights of the State and the expectations of its people, stressing that the Centre must fulfill its obligations towards Tamil Nadu instead of delaying key decisions.
Source: News Agencies
