CM Vijay Failed to Honour Promises Made to Farmers, Says Udhayanidhi
When former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin made it an issue, he said loans up to Rs. 75,000 will be waived. But now only loans up to Rs. 35,000 are waived, he pointed out
By : G. SRINIVASAN
Update: 2026-08-04 01:13 GMT
THANJAVUR: The TVK government has not kept up the promises it made to the farmers, said Udhayanidhi Stalin, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, here on Monday.
Leading an agitation by farmers, condemning the government for not waiving all the loans of farmers and failure to stop the construction of a dam across the Cauvery at Mekedatu, Udhayanidhi said Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay made a poll promise that loans of farmers having lands up to 5 acres will be waived. But when he came to power, he said loans up to Rs. 50,000 will be waived.
When former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin made it an issue, he said loans up to Rs. 75,000 will be waived. But now only loans up to Rs. 35,000 are waived, he pointed out.
“Thus, the TVK government promises one thing, announces another and implements entirely a different one,” said Udhayanidhi.
In contrast, he said in 2006, the then DMK chief minister M. Karunanidhi waived loans amounting to Rs. 7,000 crore. Karunanidhi signed it as the first file when he assumed office as chief minister, Udhayanidhi pointed out.
In the previous regime, M.K. Stalin, the then chief minister waived loans amounting to Rs. 12,000 crore.
“Today is Aadi Perukku. All rivers in the delta should be flowing with water. But this year, it is not so. When I came to Thanjavur to participate in this agitation, I found rivers are dry. Delta is looking like a desert,” he said.
Kuruvai could not be taken up this year. The long-term crop of samba is also in question, Udhayanidhi said. In contrast, water was released from Mettur dam on June 12 from 2021-2025. The then chief minister Stalin released the water from Mettur dam. One year, the dam was opened before June 12, he recalled.
He criticised Vijay for not uttering a single word against the BJP. “He is afraid of the Congress and BJP. The Congress support is necessary for him. Hence, he will not ask Karnataka for water. To save his position as Chief Minister, he will not open his mouth against the BJP. Tamil Nadu farmers who went to Delhi to agitate against the BJP government, were stopped by the police in Maharashtra and returned. The Tamil Nadu CM did not utter a word as the BJP government is in Maharashtra,” he charged.
Udhayanidhi also criticised what he alleged was the ‘reel culture’ of the TVK government. “The Tamil Nadu CM, his ministers are interested in putting reels than looking at farmers,” he said.
He also questioned the quality of ministers in the Cabinet. Regarding Mekedatu dam, he said the Chief Minister was considering it below his dignity to call for an all-party meeting. But, in Karnataka, they called an all-party meeting and all parties were united with respect to the Cauvery issue.
“Suddenly, the Tamil Nadu CM said he was going to meet D.K. Shivakumar, the Karnataka Chief Minister, to discuss the Cauvery water issue. Former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, Opposition parties in Tamil Nadu and even the allies of the ruling party said he should not go. But the Karnataka Chief Minister himself has now said Vijay need not come to Karnataka,” Udhayanidhi said.
He appealed to the government to declare the Cauvery delta districts as drought-hit and provide relief to farmers.
S. Murasoli, Thanjavur MP, S. Kalyanasundaram MP, former ministers K.N. Nehru, M.R.K. Panneerselvam and Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, former Union minister S.S. Palani Manickam, leaders of alliance parties and farmers organisations participated in the agitation.