'Utterly Hollow': MK Stalin Tears Into Vijay-Led TVK Govt's First Agriculture Budget

Published 6 August 2026 · politics

News india 'Utterly Hollow': MK Stalin Tears Into Vijay-Led TVK Govt's First Agriculture Budget 'Utterly Hollow': MK Stalin Tears Into Vijay-Led TVK Govt's First Agriculture

News india 'Utterly Hollow': MK Stalin Tears Into Vijay-Led TVK Govt's First Agriculture Budget 'Utterly Hollow': MK Stalin Tears Into Vijay-Led TVK Govt's First Agriculture Budget Published By, Last Updated: August 06, 2026, 15:52 IST Udhayanidhi accused the Vijay-led TVK government of betraying farmers and failing to fulfil key election promises. DMK Chief MK Stalin (Photo: PTI File) DMK president and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday criticised the Tamil Nadu Agriculture Budget 2026, calling it “hollow" and urging the Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay-led government to “wake up". In a post on X, Stalin alleged that the TVK government’s first agriculture budget failed to address pressing issues such as drought and crop losses faced by farmers. “Instead of addressing the drought, the Tamil Nadu Agriculture Budget 2026 served merely as a platform to sing praises and shower the chief minister with flattery," he wrote in Tamil.

‘Existing schemes have only been rebranded’ Stalin accused the newly formed government of simply repackaging welfare schemes introduced by the previous DMK administration instead of announcing fresh measures for farmers. “Does this government believe its job is done simply by slapping the label ‘success’ onto Dravidian model schemes?" he said, referring to programmes launched during the DMK government. He also claimed that the budget had failed to offer any relief to farmers in the Cauvery Delta region. “This agricultural budget offers nothing to the farmers of the Delta region, whose Kuruvai cultivation has been affected and who are waiting for a helping hand from the government. It is an utterly hollow budget," Stalin said. Calling for immediate action, he added, “The slumbering government must wake up and provide answers. Solutions must be found." Udhayanidhi terms budget ‘absolutely nothing’ Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, Udhayanidhi Stalin, also criticised the agriculture budget, describing it as “absolutely nothing".

Speaking to reporters outside the Assembly, Udhayanidhi accused the Vijay-led government of betraying farmers and failing to fulfil key election promises. “Absolutely nothing," he said when asked about the budget. He also renewed the DMK’s demand for an all-party meeting on the Cauvery and Mekedatu issues. “We have been consistently calling for an all-party meeting on the Cauvery and Mekedatu issues. We need to demonstrate that all political parties in Tamil Nadu stand united on this front. But as usual, the chief minister remains silent and refuses to respond," Udhayanidhi said. Crop loan waiver promise questioned Udhayanidhi also targeted the government over its election promise on crop loan waivers. He said the TVK had promised a complete waiver of crop loans for farmers owning up to five acres of land but had failed to honour that commitment after coming to power. According to him, the government had initially announced a waiver limit of Rs 50,000, which was later increased to Rs 75,000 following sustained demands from farmers.