Former Tamil Nadu Industries Minister and DMK leader TRB Rajaa has welcomed BJP leader K. Annamalai’s recent criticism of the Union government’s alleged preferential treatment towards other states, saying Annamalai was now speaking openly after being freed from the constraints of serving as the state president of a national party.
In a post on X, Rajaa said he was reluctant to say “we told you so”, but argued that the DMK had consistently raised concerns over what he described as the Centre’s discriminatory treatment of Tamil Nadu.
“I hate to say ‘we told you so’ but… we TOLD YOU SO!” Rajaa wrote.
Responding to questions over why the DMK “keeps fighting” with the Union government, Rajaa said such resistance was necessary to protect Tamil Nadu’s interests in what he described as a “not so federalistic regime”.
He said Tamil Nadu needed political leadership that would “fight tooth and nail” for the rights of the State, adding that the DMK had done so in the past and would continue to do so.
Rajaa also welcomed Annamalai’s recent statements on investment allocation between states.
“Happy to see Thiru. Annamalai, free from the shackles of being the state chief of a national party, finally speak out openly,” he said, adding that he expected Annamalai to validate more of the DMK’s earlier positions regarding what he called Delhi’s discriminatory treatment of Tamil Nadu.
Rajaa, however, said the issue should not be viewed as a conflict between Tamil Nadu and any particular State.
“This isn’t about any particular state. Every State has the right to attract investments, but, Tamil Nadu must be allowed to compete fairly!” he said.
He claimed Tamil Nadu had significant advantages in talent, manufacturing, MSMEs, infrastructure, industrial capabilities and ease of doing business. According to Rajaa, barring “red category manufacturing”, there was little reason for an investor to choose another State over Tamil Nadu.
He particularly questioned situations where high-tech manufacturing projects allegedly move to another State after detailed discussions and the finalisation of MoU-related details with Tamil Nadu.
“So obviously when any investment, especially high tech manufacturing, ‘goes’ to a favoured state (after having detailed discussions and finalising MoU details etc) then one can clearly understand that they were ‘taken’ there due to Delhi’s bias,” Rajaa alleged.
He said Tamil Nadu was not seeking preferential treatment from the Centre but only a level playing field.
“Tamil Nadu doesn’t ask for favours. We ask for a level playing field,” Rajaa said.
Using a sporting analogy, he alleged that India would benefit when every State received a fair opportunity to compete, rather than when one State repeatedly received the first opportunity while the Centre acted as a “biased referee”.
I hate to say “we told you so” but…
we TOLD YOU SO !Many uninformed youngsters keep questioning:
“Why does the DMK keep “fighting” ?!?”
BECAUSE that is precisely what #TamilNadu needs in a not so federalistic regime. Someone who fights tooth and nail for the RIGHTS of the…
— Dr. T R B Rajaa (@TRBRajaa) August 18, 2026
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