Chennai:Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin on Monday sharpened his attack on the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami over what he described as confusion within their alliance on leadership and governance claims in the State.

Speaking at a public event, Stalin said he had assumed office in 2021 with a clear ten-year roadmap extending to 2031. Referring to what he had earlier outlined as his “seven pledges”, the Chief Minister said the government was progressing towards its long-term targets at a pace faster than anticipated.

“I took charge with a Vision for ten years. The targets up to 2031 were clearly laid out. Today, we are moving towards them more swiftly than expected,” he said.

Citing the recent State Economic Survey, Stalin said Tamil Nadu was well on course to achieve the goal of becoming a one-trillion-dollar economy if current growth trends were sustained. “The report itself states that if this growth continues, the trillion-dollar target is within reach. In the next five years too, we will function in Mission Mode to translate that Vision into reality,” he said.

‘We Listen Even to the Opposition’

Positioning his administration as consultative, Stalin said his government not only addressed public grievances but also took note of criticism from opposition parties.

“I have implemented schemes based on people’s needs. I do not merely listen to the complaints of the public; I also hear out the opposition and correct what needs to be corrected,” he said.

The Chief Minister also responded to remarks made by Modi during his recent visit to Madurai, where the Prime Minister referred to delays in the Maduravoyal-Chennai Port Elevated Corridor project.

Stalin countered that it was the AIADMK — now allied with the BJP — that had earlier stalled the project and opposed it legally. “The very party that is in alliance with the Prime Minister had blocked this project and argued against it in court. After we assumed office, we pursued the matter with the Union government, and only now has the work resumed,” he said.

‘Who Is Leading Whom?’

In a pointed political dig, Stalin referred to statements made from the same stage by Palaniswami and Modi regarding who would form the next government.

“Mr Palaniswami says the AIADMK will form the government. With him present, the Prime Minister says the NDA will form the government. They themselves do not seem clear about who is leading whom,” Stalin said, drawing applause from the audience.

Reiterating his campaign pitch, the DMK president said the election was a contest between “Tamil Nadu and the NDA”. He argued that repeated visits by Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah only reinforced that framing.

“When I said this election is Tamil Nadu versus the NDA, some questioned it. But every time they come here and speak, they confirm exactly that,” he said.

Asserting confidence in his party’s prospects, Stalin said the State would choose “Team Tamil Nadu” over “Team Delhi”.

“In this election, Tamil Nadu will win. Under Dravidian Model 2.0, we will surpass our own record,” he declared.

With campaigning gathering pace, Stalin’s remarks underline the DMK’s strategy of pitching governance performance and regional identity against the BJP’s national leadership narrative, while seeking to expose strains within the NDA’s State-level alliance.