Tamil Nadu CM Vijay's London trip faces fresh attack as Annamalai takes 'dead economy' jibe

Former Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai on Monday criticised Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay over his overseas tours seeking investments in the state.

Speaking to reporters in Tamil Nadu's capital, Chennai, Annamalai argued that the chief minister did not need to go to London, calling the UK a "dead economy," according to news agency ANI.

"What I am saying is that the chief minister need not even go to London. I know London very well; it is a dead economy. There is hardly any money there, and the UK’s growth is only around 1 per cent," he said.

"If you go there and ask them to invest money in Tamil Nadu, what money are they going to give? They themselves are looking for money from others," former BJP Tamil Nadu state president noted.

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Annamalai further argued that Indian conglomerates like Tata and Mahindra are among the primary firms pumping capital into the British market.

He took a dig at CM Vijay's foreign trip and advised him to "take an IndiGo flight" to Coimbatore or Madurai, as per the ANI report.

"Instead of taking an Emirates flight from Chennai to London, the Chief Minister should take an IndiGo flight from Chennai to Coimbatore or Madurai," he said.

"He should bring the local industrialists together and tell them: “If you expand your production facilities, the government will bear 50 per cent of the tax burden." That is what needs to be done," Annamalai added.

"He should visit Coimbatore and encourage the textile, automobile, and foundry sectors. Sit with industrialists in Madurai and Thoothukudi," he emphasised.

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Arguing that investors are present in India, he added, "If you need capital, go to Mumbai, Delhi, or Bengaluru; there are investors everywhere in India ready to invest. Strengthening the local economy by sitting with district Collectors and trade bodies is the approach we advocate."

Annamalai said that the state government should stop focusing on foreign trips and added that efforts must be made for strengthening the domestic base.

"The Tamil Nadu government must stop focusing so much on trips to London, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Singapore. That is old-style politics that worked in the 1990s and 2000s, but has completely lost its relevance today. Efforts must be centred on strengthening the domestic base, empowering local industries, and creating indigenous markets," Annamalai asserted.

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CM Vijay's UK trip

The Tamil Nadu government has signed MoUs with global firms and secured investment proposals and commitments worth over ₹15,300 crore during Vijay's visit to the UK, news agency PTI reported, citing officials last week.

According to an official press release, the agreements were inked on September 14 in London between the state's investment promotion agency, Guidance Tamil Nadu, and the respective companies.

During the visit, top executives of the Hinduja Group, including Ashok Leyland Executive Chairman Dheeraj Hinduja and Finolex Industries Executive Chairman Prakash P Chhabria, called on the Chief Minister, the report added.