‘Taxpayers’ Money Wasted on Vijay’s Luxury’: BJP Hits Out Over ₹6.17 Crore CMO Shift

Tamil Nadu BJP chief Nainar Nagendran on Monday criticised Chief Minister Joseph Vijay over the alleged allocation of ₹6.17 crore to shift the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) to the 10th floor of Namakkal Kavignar Maaligai.

Nagendran shared an official document on X, claiming it was obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The document stated that ₹6.17 crore had been allocated for relocating the CMO and carrying out related works.

Accusing the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government of wasting taxpayers’ money, Nagendran questioned whether such expenditure was justified for what he described as the chief minister’s “luxury” and personal requirements.

He also questioned the decision to spend more than ₹6 crore on a temporary relocation when the government has announced plans to construct a new Secretariat at an estimated cost of ₹1,200 crore.

“When there are already adequate facilities in the Secretariat Fort, in what way is it justified to spend more than Rs. 6 crore to shift the Chief Minister’s office for luxury and for his personal reasons?” Nagendran said.

Nagendran targets Vijay over Assembly conduct

In another post on X, Nagendran told Vijay, “The Assembly is not your cinema studio, Mr Vijay,” accusing the chief minister of treating the legislature as a platform for “stacked-up dialogues”.

He said the people of Tamil Nadu were not merely an audience for political rhetoric and urged Vijay to focus his Assembly interventions on issues affecting public welfare.

Nagendran also raised concerns about farmers, alleging that paddy stocks were being damaged by rain because of inadequate storage facilities.

“Change should blossom in the lives of the people, and not on the walls of the Chief Minister’s office,” he said.

RTI response cites ₹6.17 crore allocation

According to the details cited by Nagendran, the Public (Buildings) Department provided the information in response to an RTI application filed on August 23.

The Public Information Officer and Executive Engineer, responding to a query about funds allocated to shift the CMO to the 10th floor of Namakkal Kavignar Maaligai and undertake related works, stated that ₹6.17 crore had been allocated, according to ANI.

BJP raises law and order concerns

Nagendran also criticised the government over the law and order situation, citing several alleged incidents.

He claimed that Coimbatore district, which has two TVK ministers, witnessed 10 murders in the past month. He also referred to two murders reported in Chennai on a single day and alleged that six custodial deaths had taken place since Vijay became chief minister.

The BJP leader said Vijay should have addressed these issues during the Assembly discussion on the police department’s grant demands and taken responsibility for the law and order situation.

Instead, Nagendran accused Vijay of behaving as though law and order was not his responsibility and making remarks resembling dialogues from an action film. He termed this “uncivil politics” and said the Assembly should focus on matters concerning public welfare.

Vijay attacks DMK over corruption allegations

Meanwhile, Vijay on Monday targeted the DMK, alleging corruption during its previous terms in government. Citing Enforcement Directorate documents, he alleged irregularities in the municipal administration department and TASMAC.

Vijay named former chief minister M K Stalin, Udhayanidhi Stalin and former minister V Senthil Balaji while making the allegations.

He also referred to the Sarkaria Commission report and alleged tender-related corruption during the DMK government in the 1970s, describing the alleged practices as “scientific corruption”.

His remarks triggered protests from DMK MLAs, who entered the well of the Assembly and later staged a walkout while demanding a response to the allegations.

Vijay said further scrutiny of government records would expose what he called the DMK’s “false image”, adding that his objective was to serve the people rather than seek power.