Chennai: The ruling DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin today accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of speaking the language of the opposition and targeting the Congress party as though it was the ruling party at the Centre and this was a puzzle that could not be understood.
On his arrival here from Spain, completing his foreign tour to attract investments, MK Stalin said investment commitments to the tune of Rs 3,440 crore have been made by several companies during his visit abroad and that showed the confidence of multinational firms in Tamil Nadu and the DMK regime.
The Chief Minister said that the German shipping and container transportation major Hapag-Lloyd AG had signed agreements to invest Rs 2500 crore.
He added that the Spain-based Edibon that designs and manufactures technical teaching and research equipment has also inked a pact to invest Rs 540 crore.
He said that Spanish sanitary major Rocato would invest Rs 400 crore in the state.
Stalin said that he held separate meetings with representatives of a number of other companies including Acciona, Abertis, Gestamp and Talgo and he also had the opportunity to meet industry leaders and officials of Spainās Finance and Commerce Ministries.
The Chief Minister exuded confidence that more investors would come forward to choose Tamil Nadu as their investment destination.
Speaking to reporters, he said the ‘Lok Sabha election is round the corner and further visits to attract investments may be scheduled only following the polls.’ Asked about Prime Minister Modi’s address in Parliament, MK Stalin said he ‘saw, read, enjoyed and laughed’ at it. PM Modi, ever since he assumed power, has been speaking continuously as if the ‘BJP is in the opposition and the Congress is the ruling party.’ The Prime Minister behaved as though he was an opposition leader and attacked the Congress which was a ‘puzzle,’ that could not be understood, the DMK chief alleged.
To a question on PM Modi’s comment that the National Democratic Alliance would cross the 400-seat mark, he said he would not be surprised if the Prime Minister were to make a remark that the NDA would go on to win all the 543 seats in the Lok Sabha. “Is the total (number of LS segments) only 400? There are 543 constituencies and there will be no surprise if he says he will (the BJP/NDA) win them all.” On February 5, Prime Minister Modi predicted that the BJP will “definitely” get 370 seats and the ruling NDA will cross 400 seats in the Lok Sabha polls as he tore into the Congress, saying its “shop” is on the verge of closure.
In his reply to the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address in the Lok Sabha, he said his government in its third term will take “very big” decisions and lay a strong foundation for the India of next 1,000 years while the opposition has made up its mind to remain in the opposition with reduced numbers.
On Tamil actor Vijay’s political foray, he said he would be happy whoever came forward to serve the people.
On January 27, MK Stalin left for Spain to attract investments to the state. He arrived here on Wednesday morning.