Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay ’s six-day official visit to the United Kingdom, during which his government announced investment commitments worth ₹ 15,300 crore, has drawn criticism from the AIADMK and BJP, with both parties dubbing it a “pleasure trip” and questioning the fresh investment claims.
AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami questioned Vijay’s decision to travel to the UK without the state industries minister or industries secretary, suggesting that the visit may not have been solely focused on investment promotion, PTI reported.
“If the CM had travelled specifically to attract industrial investments, it would have been appropriate to take along the Industries minister or the Industries secretary. “Chief Minister Vijay’s London trip should be seen only as a pleasure tour. It is a complete lie that Chief Minister Vijay brought investments to Tamil Nadu.
Vijay embarked on his first overseas trip since assuming office on the night of September 10, with the state government saying the visit was aimed at attracting investments in advanced manufacturing, automobiles and electric vehicles, electronics and Global Capability Centres (GCCs), with a focus on creating high-end jobs. The visit was part of Tamil Nadu’s roadmap to transition into a USD 1.5 trillion economy by 2036 under a transparent and efficient administration, the release said.
BJP Tamil Nadu president Nainar Nagendran also described the trip as a “pleasure tour” and alleged that the government was presenting existing companies as new investments. Palaniswami said the absence of key officials from the industries department had raised questions about the purpose of the visit. But travelling without key department heads raises serious questions,” Palaniswami told reporters. They are pointing out already existing companies as new industrial investments,” Nagendran said.
