Tamil Nadu’s Sports Minister, Udhayanidhi Stalin, criticized the central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging a significant disparity in financial contributions. He claimed that for every rupee Tamil Nadu contributes in taxes, the Centre only allocates “28 paisa” to the state. This accusation was encapsulated in the phrase ’28 Paisa Modi’, coined by Udhayanidhi to target the Prime Minister and his administration. However, this statement has provoked a negative response from the BJP.
As the son of Chief Minister MK Stalin, Udhayanidhi asserted the dominance of his party, the DMK, in Tamil Nadu, challenging PM Modi to spend 40 days campaigning in the state ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. He confidently predicted that despite PM Modi’s efforts, the BJP would not secure a single seat in Tamil Nadu. Udhayanidhi also accused PM Modi of deceit, claiming that his visits to Tamil Nadu coincided with election campaigns rather than times of crisis such as floods or cyclones.
These remarks drew swift condemnation from the BJP, with the state party chief deriding Udhayanidhi as a “failed actor” who rides on the coattails of his family’s political legacy. Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai dismissed Udhayanidhi’s political standing, asserting that he lacks merit beyond his familial connections and has not contributed meaningfully to society.
