DMK Unfazed by ED or Modi, Says Udhayanidhi Stalin as Tamil Nadu CM Attends Niti Aayog Meeting

Pratiksha Ghosh

PUDUKKOTTAI/NEW DELHI May 23: On Saturday,Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Udhayanidhi Stalin declared that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) remains undeterred by Enforcement Directorate (ED) actions or by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. 

In an interaction with media in Pudukkottai, he highlighted the party’s commitment to legal processes and its continued resistance to political pressure from the Centre.

The DMK youth wing leader was responding to criticism from the opposition AIADMK over Chief Minister MK Stalin’s decision to attend the Niti Aayog Governing Council meeting in Delhi, amid recent ED raids at the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) offices.

Udhayanidhi reaffirmed that DMK, which founded on the principles of social justice and rationalism championed by leaders such as E.V. Ramasamy Periyar and M. Karunanidhi, would not bow to what he described as intimidation tactics.

He stated that “The DMK will face any legal scrutiny through proper legal channels. We will not yield to fear. Our government is focused on securing financial assistance for Tamil Nadu and safeguarding the rights of the state.”

While five states and Union Territories — Karnataka, Kerala, West Bengal, Bihar, and Puducherry — skipped the 10th Governing Council meeting, 31 out of 36 attended, said Niti Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam.

During the meeting, Mr Stalin called for an increase in the state’s share of central taxes to 50%, pointing out that Tamil Nadu currently receives only 33.16% instead of the promised 41%. He also pushed for a dedicated urban transformation mission tailored for the state.

Earlier in the day, Udhayanidhi reviewed development projects at the Pudukkottai district collectorate and distributed welfare benefits worth Rs 40.54 crore to 1,195 people, including housing pattas for 125 tribal beneficiaries.