Is Stalin's state-wide tour sincere governance or vote-bank politics, asks Tamil Nadu BJP

Chennai, Nov 7 (IANS) Tamil Nadu BJP spokesperson and senior party leader ANS Prasad on Thursday wondered whether Chief Minister M.K. Stalin's state-wide tour was a sincere effort in governance or a form of vote-bank politics.

Prasad claimed that three years of DMK-led rule had been marred by administrative inefficiencies, resulting in significant public hardship.

The BJP leader said that CM Stalin initiated the state-wide tours to review welfare schemes only after the BJP urged him to do so.

"The DMK's unfulfilled promises from the previous assembly election raise concerns. We urge the Chief Minister to ensure schemes are implemented with social concern and maternal affection," he said.

The BJP leader emphasised the party’s demand for the Chief Minister to execute welfare projects sincerely, prioritising the people’s needs over electoral gains.

He called for transparency and effective implementation, stressing that benefits should reach citizens genuinely, rather than merely serving as lip service or vote-bank tactics.

Prasad also underlined the importance of comprehensive guidelines for district collectors, special scheme implementation officers, and departmental officials.

"Each district, under the leadership of its collector, should integrate all administrative departments to effectively execute people-centric projects and central and state government initiatives," he stated.

According to Prasad, appointed monitoring officers tasked with overseeing various projects in each district have remained largely inactive, perpetuating inefficiencies seen in both AIADMK and DMK administrations.

He noted that on September 25, the BJP officially requested that Chief Minister Stalin undertake a district-wise tour to address these issues, as communicated through a formal statement to the Tamil Nadu government.

Prasad also expressed the BJP's conditional support for Chief Minister Stalin's people-centric initiatives, provided they genuinely benefit the state's development.

He noted that Tamil Nadu unit BJP president Annamalai had urged the Centre to allocate funds for the Chennai Metro Rail project, echoing a request made by Chief Minister Stalin.

Prasad highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi promptly approved funds for the Metro Rail project, showcasing the Central government’s commitment to Tamil Nadu’s development and illustrating a significant collaboration between the state and central governments.

He noted that the project is now underway, reflecting this cooperative effort. Prasad further stated that the BJP’s objective in Tamil Nadu is to establish a corruption-free, democratic government by ending DMK’s rule in the 2026 Assembly elections and putting an end to authoritarian politics.

At the same time, he emphasised that the BJP-led NDA government remains committed to Tamil Nadu’s development, implementing projects worth lakhs of crores of rupees through the state government with a zero-tolerance policy on corruption.

The BJP spokesperson also commended the state government’s implementation of central initiatives like Jal Jeevan, Awas Yojana, and the National Education Policy, along with innovative schemes like “Co-Working Spaces” under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

In conclusion, Prasad extended his best wishes to Chief Minister Stalin, urging him to follow Prime Minister Modi’s people-centric approach and to work in tandem with the Central government, setting aside political differences.

“We call upon him to focus on people-centric governance, moving beyond electoral politics, and ensuring effective implementation of welfare schemes across districts for the benefit of the people of Tamil Nadu,” he said.

--IANS

aal/pgh