DMK and opposition criticize TVK government in Tamil Nadu

DMK leader M. K. Stalin has launched a series of criticisms against the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) administration in Tamil Nadu, focusing on economic mismanagement and public safety.

Initially, Stalin targeted the government’s handling of inflation and the electricity crisis. He alleged that the administration’s decision to cancel low-cost power contracts in favor of expensive open-market purchases—at rates as high as 35 rupees per unit—has driven up costs. He also criticized the management of water resources and the Mettur Dam, claiming these failures have harmed farmers in the Delta region. Stalin further suggested that high electricity procurement costs might be linked to political corruption and the alleged ‘purchase’ of political opponents.

Following these economic concerns, Stalin expanded his critique to include the state’s law and order situation. He accused Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay of negligence, alleging that Tamil Nadu is becoming a hub for drug production. Stalin cited specific violent crimes, including murders in Dindigul and Sivaganga and a kidnapping near Perundurai, to argue that the police force is faltering. He suggested the state is facing a ‘competition between drug proliferation and sexual crimes,’ even remarking that the government might not last six months.

Opposition criticism has since intensified. AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami and AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran have condemned the administration for failing to maintain security and for the ‘unprecedented rise’ in the prices of essential commodities like rice and salt. DMK leaders, including MP Kanimozhi and Udhayanidhi Stalin, have characterized the administration as a ‘Reels government’ that fails to fulfill promises regarding social justice.