Congress exposed DMK's 'disastrous failure model,' Rahul Gandhi must answer: CR Kesavan

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], December 29 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National Spokesperson CR Kesavan on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Congress party, accusing it of scoring a "shocking self-goal" by exposing what he called the "disastrous failure model" of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government in Tamil Nadu.
Speaking to ANI, Kesavan said, "The Congress party has done a shocking self-goal and an alarming hit-wicket by exposing the disastrous failure model of the DMK government. Now, Rahul Gandhi needs to answer whether he agrees with these remarks that his ally, the DMK government, has completely failed and forsaken the people of Tamil Nadu. This is what Rahul Gandhi needs to answer without dodging or ducking."
He further demanded responses from DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin regarding their ally's criticism.
"The DMK President, the Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, and the Deputy CM need to opine on this comment from their ally, the Congress party... The Congress party and the DMK seem to be in an alliance, but this alliance seems to be completely crumbling, collapsing, and imploding... The unjust, insensitive DMK misrule and misgovernance for the last four and a half years has been one of the darkest chapters in the history of Tamil Nadu. The DMK government is like a directionless car without anybody at the helm," Kesavan added.
Kesavan's remarks came after the All India Professionals' Congress (AIPC) Praveen Chakravarty on Sunday shared that Tamil Nadu now has the highest state debt, surpassing Uttar Pradesh, with its interest burden the third highest after Punjab and Haryana, and debt-to-GDP still above pre-COVID levels.
This criticism of the recent debt trend in Tamil Nadu came despite the Congress being an ally of the DMK in the state, and the two parties are set to contest the 2026 Assembly elections together.

TN has the highest outstanding debt of all states

In 2010, UP had more than double the debt of TN
Now, TN has higher debt than UP👇🏽

TN’s interest burden (%) is 3rd highest after PB & HR

TN’s debt/gdp is still much higher than pre-covid levels

TN’s debt situation is alarming! https://t.co/3CzHxWNKJF pic.twitter.com/dmxa4Aj9C2

— Praveen Chakravarty (@pravchak) December 28, 2025

Praveen Chakravarty took to X to share graphical data comparing the state debt between Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh and wrote, "TN has the highest outstanding debt of all states. In 2010, UP had more than double the debt of TN. Now, TN has higher debt than UP. TN's interest burden (%) is the 3rd highest after PB & HR. TN's debt/gdp is still much higher than pre-COVID levels. TN's debt situation is alarming!"
All India Professionals' Congress (AIPC) is the party's wing for working professionals and entrepreneurs. (ANI)