Thangam Thennarasu Accuses TVK Govt of Mismanaging Tamil Nadu Economy

Former finance minister Thangam Thennarasu accused the TVK government led by Chief Minister C Joseph of mismanaging Tamil Nadu's economy on Thursday in Chennai, pointing to a persistent drop in tax revenues. The senior DMK leader highlighted that Goods and Services Tax collections in the state have experienced a contraction reaching 5 percent.

In a statement shared on social media, Thennarasu noted that the decline in GST collections has now continued for three consecutive months. He raised concerns that industrial production in the state has stagnated and overall consumption has shrunk, even as several other states across the country continue to register sustained industrial expansion.

Contrasting the current economic figures with the performance under the previous DMK administration, Thennarasu said Tamil Nadu had previously recorded double-digit growth in GST revenue. He emphasised that the state had consistently outperformed other states during that period through structured planning.

The former minister attributed the recent economic downturn directly to administrative failures within the current administration. He specifically questioned the government's approach to attracting industrial investments and handling public financial management, stating that the previous DMK government had relied on a long-term approach to drive economic progress.

Challenging the administration on its policy outcomes, Thennarasu asked what answer the ruling government had for the economic deterioration and accused it of failing to sustain the state's earlier growth momentum. To support his claims, he shared a comparative bar chart detailing the GST revenue growth trajectories of major states across India.