No Real Change: Udhayanidhi Claims Vijay Government Repackaged DMK Schemes in Budget
Former Deputy Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin has strongly criticized the first State Budget presented by the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government. He said the budget has failed to meet the promises made by the ruling party during the election campaign.
According to Udhayanidhi, many of the schemes announced in the 2026–27 State Budget are not new. He claimed that several of them were introduced earlier by the previous DMK government and have now been presented again under different names. He alleged that the government is rebranding old welfare programmes instead of launching new initiatives.
Udhayanidhi said that simply changing the names of existing schemes does not amount to introducing fresh policies. He argued that people expected the new government to bring innovative ideas and fulfil the commitments it made before the elections.
He also questioned whether the budget includes enough measures to improve employment, education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, and public welfare. According to him, the government should focus on solving the day-to-day problems faced by the people instead of claiming credit for programmes that were already in place.
The opposition leader said voters had expected major changes after the TVK government came to power. He claimed that the budget does not fully reflect the promises made during the election campaign and called on the government to introduce new policies that would directly benefit the public.
The criticism has added to the ongoing political debate between the ruling TVK government and the opposition DMK. Leaders from both parties continue to exchange views over the government’s performance and its approach to development and welfare.
Supporters of the DMK argue that many successful welfare schemes introduced by the previous government have simply been renamed. They say the current administration should acknowledge earlier initiatives instead of presenting them as new programmes.
On the other hand, the ruling TVK government is expected to defend its budget by saying it has introduced policies aimed at improving the state’s economy, strengthening public services, and continuing welfare programmes while managing financial challenges.
Political observers believe the debate over the budget is likely to continue during the Assembly session, with both the ruling party and the opposition presenting their arguments. The discussions are expected to focus on the government’s financial priorities, development plans, and the implementation of welfare schemes.
The 2026–27 Tamil Nadu Budget is expected to remain a major topic of political discussion in the coming weeks, as the government and the opposition continue to debate whether the budget delivers meaningful new initiatives or largely continues programmes from the previous administration.