Tamil Nadu needs a change after five years of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) rule, Anbumani Ramadoss, president of the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), said on Saturday, urging voters to “give an opportunity” to the opposition alliance in the upcoming polls.
The PMK is part of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)-led alliance and proposes what it calls an alternative model of governance. “We are going to the people asking for one chance. Give us an opportunity and we will provide good administration,” he told journalists of The Hindu group at an interaction.
Ramadoss alleged that the DMK had failed to deliver on its 2021 election promises. Of the 505 assurances made, only a small portion had been fully implemented, he claimed. “The AIADMK will win the elections comfortably as there is a strong anti-incumbency sentiment given the concerns over governance, law and order, welfare delivery, and the State’s financial health,” he said.
PMK would play a “guiding role” in the alliance to ensure accountability if they came to power, he added
Debt concerns
Ramadoss flagged the State’s rising debt as a key concern.
He alleged that Tamil Nadu’s total liabilities have nearly doubled in the past five years to around ₹10 lakh crore. According to him, all of Tamil Nadu’s ruling governments since Independence had together accumulated about ₹4.5 lakh crore in debt, but the DMK had added nearly ₹5 lakh crore just during its current regime.
He questioned the utilisation of borrowings, claiming that only a limited share had gone into capital expenditure, with a significant portion used for servicing existing loans and meeting routine expenses. “Borrowing for asset creation is acceptable, but borrowing to run day-to-day administration is not sustainable,” he said.
TASMAC revenue under scrutiny
Anbumani Ramadoss also raised concerns over the State’s liquor policy and operations of the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation. While the government reports annual revenues exceeding ₹50,000 crore, he alleged that the actual scale of earnings is far higher due to unaccounted sales and parallel networks.
He claimed that thousands of unauthorised outlets operate alongside official TASMAC shops and accused the government of failing to curb leakages and corruption.
Linking fiscal and social concerns, the PMK leader argued that dependence on liquor revenue has hindered reforms and contributed to wider social issues, positioning debt management and regulation of alcohol sales as key campaign themes for the alliance.
Published on April 4, 2026