BJP flays TN Cong chief Selvaperunthagai for selective activism over rural employment issues
Chennai: The Tamil Nadu unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a sharp attack on Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K. Selvaperunthagai, accusing him of political hypocrisy and selective activism over issues related to rural employment and governance in the State.
In a strongly-worded statement issued on Sunday, A.N.S. Prasad, spokesperson of the Tamil Nadu BJP, questioned why Selvaperunthagai had not launched any protests against the DMK government despite what he described as “numerous actions that go against the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi.”
The criticism comes in the backdrop of the Union government introducing the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, which seeks to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005.
Prasad alleged that the Congress leader had remained silent on what he termed a “false election promise” made by Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, who had pledged in the DMK manifesto to extend the rural employment scheme from 100 days to 150 days.
According to the BJP, this promise was never fulfilled and was aimed solely at electoral gains. The BJP spokesperson further claimed that the restructuring of the rural employment scheme by the Centre had curbed alleged irregularities at the local level.
He alleged that DMK and Congress MLAs and local body representatives could no longer misuse funds in the manner they allegedly did earlier, and that this had unsettled leaders of the ruling alliance in Tamil Nadu.
Taking aim at Selvaperunthagai’s recent protest actions, Prasad described them as “political theatrics” designed to deflect growing discontent within Congress ranks.
He claimed that Congress cadres themselves were openly questioning their leadership’s dependence on the DMK and demanding a fair share of power within the ruling alliance.
Contrasting the State and the Centre, the BJP asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was implementing policies inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and working towards an inclusive model of governance.
In contrast, Prasad alleged that Tamil Nadu was witnessing an “anti-people administration” under the DMK, which he said eroded public rights.
The BJP concluded by predicting a poor electoral outcome for the Congress in the 2026 Assembly elections, asserting that voters would reject what it called the “political drama” of the DMK–Congress alliance.