EPS Gives TVK Budget a Report Card — Overall Score: Zero

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday dismissed the first budget of the TVK government as a "huge disappointment," stating he would give the budget an overall score of "zero", alleging a lack of substantive announcements.

Criticising the TVK's first 85 days in power, Palaniswami alleged that the government has failed to introduce a single new scheme, accusing it of merely renaming and pasting "stickers" on existing AIADMK and DMK welfare programmes.

He targeted Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay for ignoring major electoral promises in the budget, including the Rs 2,500 women's honorarium, six free LPG cylinders, full farm loan waivers.

Pointing to an overall state debt of Rs 10,98,768 crore and a fiscal deficit of Rs 1,21,819 crore, Palaniswami demanded an explanation from the state government on how it plans to fund programmes, noting the administration has already borrowed Rs 20,000 crore in its short tenure.

The AIADMK chief also expressed scepticism over the state government's newly announced five-member expert committee aimed at stabilising state finances, alleging that similar to the previous DMK regime, this committee will merely serve as a vehicle to justify further state borrowing.