Chennai: Pitching the 2026 Tamil Nadu Meeting election as a battle between “growth and decay”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday mentioned the state was prepared for a “double engine sarkar” underneath the NDA, declaring that “DMK’s countdown has begun”.

Addressing the NDA rally at Madurantakam in Chengalpattu district, Modi claimed the group itself was sending out a political message, not simply throughout Tamil Nadu, however the nation that the state was searching for “liberation from the clutches of the DMK”.

Modi asserted that the NDA would kind a coalition authorities in Tamil Nadu, stressing {that a} authorities aligned with the Centre was important to speed up growth.

“A BJP–NDA double engine authorities is for certain to return to energy right here. When the identical authorities works in Chennai and Delhi, traders discover it simpler to take a position. Improvement strikes quicker,” he mentioned.

The “coalition authorities” has been a degree of rivalry between the AIADMK and BJP. Whereas BJP leaders together with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and House Minister Amit Shah have been pitching for a coalition authorities, AIADMK normal secretary Edappadi Okay. Palaniswami has been reiterating that the NDA alliance will win and AIADMK will kind the federal government by itself.

Modi additionally made a passing reference to the Thirupparankundram concern, stating that the BJP leaders had stood with devotees of Lord Murugan at Thirupparankundram. The Thiruparankundram concern revolves round a latest court-ordered Karthigai Deepam (oil lamp) lighting at a sacred pillar on a hill shared by a serious Murugan temple and a Muslim dargah, resulting in protests.

Reacting to the PM’s speech, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Okay. Stalin dismissed the “double engine” pitch as hole rhetoric.

“The so-called ‘double engine’ is definitely a dummy engine. It is going to by no means run in Tamil Nadu,” Stalin mentioned in a put up on X.

Stalin mentioned that Tamil Nadu had achieved historic growth regardless of “each impediment created by the BJP-led Union authorities”.

“Suppose for a second. In comparison with your double-engine states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, it’s the states the place your dummy engine has not entered—Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Karnataka and West Bengal—which might be flying excessive in growth,” he mentioned in a put up on X.

Accusing the BJP of betraying the state, Stalin mentioned the folks of Tamil Nadu would always remember what he termed the celebration’s repeated injustices. “Even should you attempt to disguise the BJP’s betrayals in opposition to Tamil language and Tamil Nadu, the folks will always remember,” he mentioned.

After returning to energy in 2021, after a spot of 10 years, DMK has been dominating the elections within the state and it gained all 39 Lok Sabha seats within the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

‘DMK branded CMC sarkar’

Criticising the ruling DMK on the NDA rally, PM Modi mentioned the celebration had been given energy twice however had “betrayed the belief” of individuals. “You gave the DMK a full mandate twice. They made heaps of guarantees however delivered zero work,” he alleged.

The Prime Minister mentioned folks throughout the state have been now referring to the DMK authorities as a ‘CMC sarkar—Corruption, Mafia and Crime authorities’.

“There are solely three or 4 methods to develop within the DMK—dynasty politics, corruption, disrespecting girls and abusing Tamil tradition,” Modi claimed.

He mentioned Tamil Nadu wanted to be free of the DMK’s grip “as early as attainable” to get again on the trail of growth.

Responding to the DMK’s long-standing allegation that the Centre was withholding funds from Tamil Nadu, Modi rejected the cost, saying the NDA authorities had launched considerably larger allocations than the earlier UPA regime.

“Within the final 11 years, the NDA authorities has launched practically Rs 3 lakh crore for Tamil Nadu—3 times greater than what was given in the course of the UPA interval,” he mentioned.

PM Modi additionally accused the DMK authorities of pushing the state’s youth into drug habit. “The DMK authorities has handed over our youth to medicine and the drug mafia. Moms are nervous. Dad and mom are watching their youngsters being destroyed earlier than their eyes,” he mentioned.

Highlighting Centre-run welfare programmes, Modi mentioned Tamil Nadu’s energy lay in its farmers and fishermen, who have been benefiting from NDA insurance policies.

He cited the PM Matsya Sampada Yojana, underneath which fishermen are being offered deep-sea fishing vessels, and mentioned 50,000 Kisan Credit score Playing cards have been issued to fishermen, he mentioned.

“There’s immense potential for meals processing in Tamil Nadu. We wish the produce of farmers and fishermen right here to achieve international markets,” he mentioned.

(Edited by Viny Mishra)

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